


Breakthrough

by Ayediyas



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Eventual Smut, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone has separate careers, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Jihyo is straight I'm sorry, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Twice doesn't exist, except Jihyo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2020-10-13 05:15:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 70,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20577056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayediyas/pseuds/Ayediyas
Summary: In an alternate universe where the K-Pop girl group TWICE does not exist, Mina is a world-renowned ballerina while Momo is an internet-famous choreographer. While Mina takes a break from her career to find motivation to dance again, Momo comes into her life and changes everything. Having zero experience with romantic relationships, Mina puts up her walls to protect herself from the unknown, but Momo is determined to be let in by the one woman she finds a genuine connection with.





	1. Myoui Mina

**Author's Note:**

> First fic about real people! So I'm obsessed with Twice(and just kpop in general), and have been thinking about MiMo a LOT recently due to Mina taking a break from Twice activities due to her mental health(I miss her a lot). So I decided why not write a fic about it? This idea came to me randomly and it just stuck, so I gave it more thought and eventually I had a plot on my hands.
> 
> This ship is tied with Saida in terms of my favorite Twice ships. I may or may not write a Saida fic in the future, but for now we'll stick with MiMo(Breakthrough) and Korrasami(Republic Corp)
> 
> This first chapter was a lot of fun and I've already started outlining Ch. 2 cause I'm so excited for this story!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina spends a little too much time in the dance studio and runs into a new face with...tiered bangs?

The high pitched sound of violins could be heard through the thick walls of the dance studio. The only way to see the source of the noise was through the small window on the only door leading into the rehearsal room. A singular woman could be seen poised perfectly still as she held all of her weight on the tips of her toes. Her arms were gracefully extended outward, her fingertips at the peak of her elegance. The song was picking up now, a symphony of instruments flooded the room from the speakers that surrounded the room. The music climbed toward the crescendo, prompting the woman to twirl and twirl and twirl in circles. On beat with the final note, the woman abruptly stopped her spinning to hold a single pose. Silence fell in the room as the song reached the end of its track. The only thing that could be heard was the light panting of the woman standing in front of the wall of mirrors, still holding her pose. A sudden crack of metal struck the room as someone pushed through the heavy door into the studio. “Mina!” said a cheerful voice.

The once graceful ballerina jumped in her skin at the sudden noise. Her body whipped around to see a head poked through the doorway. “Seven already?” Mina said in a quiet voice, disappointed. “Just about,” said the girl, “The hip-hop class is about to start. Can I let them in? The hallway is a little crowded. Mina quickly nodded and said, “Yes, of course! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize what time it was.” Mina hurried to the pile of her belongings against the wall. Before she could even make it to her things, a sea of people started to flood into the once empty room. _I had no idea the hip-hop class was this popular_, she thought as she sat down against the wall. Mina rushed to removed her pointe shoes, exchanging them for her much more comfortable pair of active shoes. She was in the middle of tying her laces when the tip of a sneaker appeared in her view. Mina’s eyes followed who the foot belonged to, following up a slender leg and ending at a warm pair of brown eyes.

“I assume this is yours? It was plugged into the aux,” said the woman, looking down at Momo with a small smile, almost a cocky grin. Mina’s eyes fell to the woman’s hand that was holding her cell phone. “Oh!” she said, startled, “Yes, thank you.” Mina smiled up at the woman and took her phone from her hand, bowing her head slightly as a polite gesture. The woman nodded and smiled back at her before turning back to the audio console in the corner of the room. “Warm up!” she yelled before a reggae song started to come through the speakers. By this time, Mina had gathered all of her things into her bag. She stood up and hurriedly walked toward the door. As she passed by the woman, who she presumed by now to be the instructor, she stopped and gave her a slight bow, with her full body this time. “Sorry again,” Mina said, giving her an apologetic smile. The instructor brought her hand up and waved it back and forth quickly. “It’s okay, really,” she said chuckling. Mina bowed again, out of habit this time, and finally stepped out of the room, holding her bag close to her.

Once she walked into the emptier hallway, Mina’s muscles instantly relaxed. The sheer sight of the amount of people in that room made her uneasy. As she walked by the front desk, the same woman who had spoken to her before called out to her. “See you tomorrow, Mina!” she said cheerfully, waving. Her round glasses and round face framing her wide smile perfectly. Mina waved back and said in the same cheerful tone, “Goodnight, Sadness!” The two laughed at the inside joke as Mina left the building.

Mina stepped out onto the pavement in front of the Breakthrough Dance Studio. She pulled out her phone and started to type a reply to the group chat she had pinned to her messenger app.

Minari: Anyone up for dinner? Just finished at the studio  
Mom: Omg yes please, I’m surrounded by useless gays who are too lazy to cook  
Nabongs: Says the useless hetero who is also too lazy to cook  
Mom: Daniel feeds me, why would I need to cook?  
Yoo Suck: We’re talking about real food btw  
Mom: JEONGYEON  
Minari: Should I just stop by a drive-thru?  
Mom: Minari :sob:  
Nabongs: Yessss  
Yoo Suck: Only if you promise not to pay for the whole thing  
Minari: Whaaaaaaat? I can’t treat my friends? ):  
Yoo Suck: We’re not peasants, Minari, let us pay for our own damn food ):< I’m Venmo’ing you right now  
Minari: nooooooooo  
Minari: Wait, you guys didn’t even tell me what to order, how much money are you sending me?  
Yoo Suck: Enough. Jihyo always eats the same thing and the child can starve  
Nabongs: FUCK YOU  
Minari: Okay well, I’ll be home in like thirty minutes then. Hopefully the drive-thru isn’t too crowded. Orders please!

Mina had been sitting in her car, partaking in the conversation. When she finally locked her phone, she turned the key in the ignition, bringing the car to life. By the time she reached the drive-thru, Mina had received the rather long order for her roommates. Just as she predicted, she was home within half an hour, despite the essay of orders she received.

Minari: Door please, not enough hands :sob:

With her dance bag slung onto her shoulder, bag of food in one hand, drink carrier in the other, Mina carefully walked from her car in the driveway to the front door of a rather extravagant house. As she approached, the door unlatched and swung open, revealing all three of her roommates. “Food!” Nayeon exclaimed as she stepped outside and took the bag from Mina. She retreated back into the home, Jihyo in tow. “Thank you for getting food,” Jeongyeon said happily, taking the drink carrier off Mina’s hands. Mina let out a sigh and said, “I could’ve paid for it you know.” Mina and Jeongyeon walked together back inside, Mina turning around to lock the door. “Nope, you paid for last time. You can’t treat us all the time, Minari,” Jeongyeon scolded to a pouting Mina.

Mina and Jeongyeon joined the other two in the living room. Jeongyeon pulled the drinks out of the carrier and placed them on the table while Mina let herself collapse onto the couch next to Jihyo. She lied her head on the girl’s shoulder, letting out an exhausted sigh. “Feels good to sit,” Mina said with her eyes closed. “You’ve been at the studio a lot lately, Minari,” Nayeon said, mouth full of food. “I just have a lot of free time these days, that’s all. When you guys aren’t home, I’m usually there,” Mina said, opening her eyes to look at Nayeon. “Speaking of which,” Jihyo joined, “Any idea when you’re going back?” Mina looked up towards the ceiling, lips scrunching in thought. “Maybe in the Winter? I was thinking somewhere around Nutcracker season, but I’m not too sure. The company was very understanding and said I was more than welcome to return when I was ready.”

“Well we’re not complaining,” Jeongyeon chimed in, “Ever since you got signed, you’ve been traveling. It’s nice to have you home for more than a weekend.”

“Minari,” Nayeon said.

“Hmm?” Mina said through closed eyes again, her head had somehow found its way back onto Jihyo’s shoulder.

“EAT,” Nayeon commanded

Mina straightened up immediately, eyes opening quickly from the sudden increase in volume. “Okay okay,” she said. She looked down at the only order that was still wrapped on the table and finally picked it up. Unwrapping it, she started to eat, not realizing just how hungry she was. “You know,” Mina started in between bites, “I didn’t realize how popular the hip-hop class was. Usually I leave before anyone shows up, but today I lost track of time and was still packing my stuff when they all came in. It was like an army.”

“Well,” Nayeon said, “when you consider who the teacher is, it makes sense. That class has a waiting list.”

“Oh, I think I saw her. She had these weird bangs. They were like...tiered? Like in levels? Straight bangs just above her eyebrows, that’s normal, but then there were also bangs on the side that stopped around her cheeks? First time seeing something like that,” Mina said, taking another bite.

Everyone in the room but Mina began to exchange glaces. A silence fell upon them as their eyes shifted back and forth from each other, eventually all landing on Mina. Jihyo spoke first, “Mina,” she said turning her head to look at her, “Do you know who the instructor is?”

Mina looked up, cheeks puffed from the food inside them. Her expression held nothing but confusion as she realized that everyone was staring at her. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she spoke. “No…? Should I?” she muffled through her food.

“Literally the two most famous people at that studio and you don’t know each other?” Jeongyeon said jokingly.

“Mina! That’s Hirai Momo!” Nayeon finally said, “She’s the main choreographer for JYP! Not to mention she’s in like every viral choreography video on YouTube.”

“Well how am I supposed to know that?” Mina defended herself.

“You guys are both dancers, how do you _not_ know that?” Jihyo said.

“I’ve been focusing on ballet all my life, she does hip-hop, we’re from two different worlds!” Mina continued her defence.

“We all know you do more than just ballet, Mina, that’s not an excuse,” Nayeon said with a smirk.

“What’s someone as big as her even doing at a small studio like Breakthrough anyway?” Mina asked.

“Same thing could be said about you, Mina,” Jeongyeon said, “You’re what? One of the biggest names in ballet? And you spend a lot of time, if not the most time out of everyone there at that studio.”

“Yeah but that studio is where I started,” Mina responded, “The same manager from when I was a kid is even still running the front desk. It’s like home.”

“Maybe that’s how Hirai Momo thinks too, you never know,” said Jihyo.

Everyone but Mina started to laugh at Mina’s innocence and cluelessness. Instead of laughing, Mina was pouting. “Well now I just feel dumb,” she said, eyebrows furrowed. “Good, you should,” Nayeon said, shrugging as she took another bite of her own food. “Babe!” Jeongyeon said, pushing Nayeon’s shoulder, knocking her over slightly. With a mouth full of food, Nayeon couldn’t vocally protest, but she certainly fought back physically. She pushed Jeongyeon back, with much more force than Jeongyeon had put, knocking her over completely.

While the two girlfriends ensued in playful banter, Jihyo spoke to Mina. “I still can’t believe you don’t know who Hirai Momo is,” she said, “She’s verified on Twitter, Instagram, _and_ YouTube.” Mina shot Jihyo a glare and said, “Hey! I’m _also_ verified on two of those. Three if you count the company’s YouTube.” Jihyo rolled her eyes and set down her food, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Let’s just make sure we’re talking about the same person here,” she said as she began to swipe through her phone. She flipped her phone to show Mina, an Instagram profile displayed on the screen. “Her, right?” Jihyo asked.

Mina looked at the phone screen briefly. The profile picture was just a silhouette of what she assumed to be this Hirari Momo dancing, but the selfies that were posted onto the profile confirmed it. “Yes!” Mina exclaimed, “I’m telling you, no one does their bangs like that!” Jihyo nodded in approval and scooted closer to Mina as she looked through the profile, which she clearly followed. “Oh look, she posted today,” said Jihyo, tapping her thumb on the most recent photo.

The picture was a selfie of Momo. Her head was cocked to the side while her red lipsticked lips were pulled to show a confident grin. The caption read: “So excited for today’s class. I have something special planned. See you all there!” Mina looked carefully at the photo. There was no doubt about it now. The same eyes that were inviting, but the cocky grin that made you weary to get too close. “How can one person be so gorgeous?” Jihyo said, scrolling through Momo’s profile to look at the rest of the selfies. Mina said nothing as she watched Jihyo tap on each photo. Although she didn’t say anything, she couldn’t help but agree. Hirai Momo was definitely a looker.

“Hey hey hey,” Nayeon interrupted, “Why are we looking at pictures that aren’t of me?” The confident model moved a strand of hair behind her ear and put on a cute face as she looked at her roommates. “You’re in front of a camera all day, we get it,” Jihyo said, throwing one of the small couch pillows at Nayeon’s face. Mina finally laughed for the first time of the night. The playfulness of her roommates brought joy and warmth to her heart, a feeling she cherished and missed in the times she was away. Nayeon was just a second too late in catching the pillow, but threw it back at Jihyo when she finally had a good grip of it. “And you’re never in front of one despite being a goddess. Ugh, why does Daniel get to see everything and we don’t?” said Nayeon, resting her chin in her palm in a dreamy way.

“Nabongs!” Jihyo said, throwing the pillow back once again, more forceful this time. “For your information, we haven’t done anything yet. We literally just started dating.” Nayeon fell over as the pillow crashed into her face. This time, she stayed down, defeated with her arms and legs spread as she lied on the floor.

“You guys wanna watch a movie tonight?” Jeongyeon suggested after swallowing the last of her food. The vote was unanimous. With no protests, the four friends snuggled together on the couch as they watched one of their favorite rom-coms. When the movie ended, it was clear that the entire household was tired. Jihyo stood up first, turning off the TV.

“Welp, I’m going to bed. I have to be at the office for an early appointment tomorrow,” said Jihyo as she turned to leave.

“I seriously don’t know how you do that all day,” Nayeon said, leaning into Jeongyeon. “Jeongyeon can barely listen to me whine about one thing, I can’t imagine how you handle listening to _everyone_ whine all day.” Jeongyeon just smiled and turned her head to kiss the top of Nayeon’s head. “It’s cause I love you, idiot.”

Jihyo laughed as she walked past the couch. “I’m a therapist, it’s my job. Plus I like helping people with their problems. I’m not called “Mom” in our group chat for no reason. I swear, if I wasn’t living here, you all would fall apart.”

Nayeon brought her hands up into a prayer hold. “Bless God Jihyo,” she said exaggeratedly. The group of friends all laughed and slowly stood up from the couch. They all said their goodnights and retreated into their own rooms. Except Nayeon, who retreated with Jeongyeon into her room. Ever since they started a relationship, Nayeon never sleeps in her own room, making it a guest room when they have visitors.

For Mina, she was glad to have a room to herself. Situations such as today at the studio make her uneasy. Despite being a famous, world-renowned ballerina, the less amount of people in one room the better. Sure, she would go out with her friends to the club or maybe a house party from time to time, but she never stayed for too long. Crowds weren’t her favorite, and she chose to keep to herself in her room most of the time she was home.

Mina stepped into her room and set her bag down next to her desk. The sight of her bed was the most inviting one she had seen all day, but the smell of lingering sweat from her dancing session earlier managed to drift up to her nose. After taking a quick shower, Mina settled into her bed at last. Just like everyone else her age, she didn’t exactly go to bed. Instead, she lied under her covers with her phone in front of her face, scrolling through her social media and watching YouTube videos as a way to relax and fall asleep.

A sudden thought popped into Mina’s mind, making her pause the video she was watching. Or rather, pause the song she was listening to. She was just staring at the album cover while she listened to the song. Mina bit her lip in hesitation, but her curiosity was growing stronger. Opening Instagram, Mina searched for a certain profile. In a matter of seconds, that same dancing silhouette icon appeared on her screen, and she proceeded to scroll through the profile. Having already seen the selfies with Jihyo just hours before, Mina turned her attention to the other posts. The dance videos particularly caught her attention. For being a hip-hop instructor, Momo sure had a lot of videos with choreographies to more pop songs. The ratio from hip-hop and pop were about half and half. One video in particular caught her eye, purely due to Momo’s outfit. It was one of the more girly outfits she had seen on the profile and she was curious to see how it fit on her. That, and it was the most recent dance video she posted.

When she clicked on the post, the caption read: “FANCY. Full video in bio :diamond:” Mina exited the post and scrolled back up to the top of the page, tapping her thumb onto the small link that took her straight to a YouTube [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbytAZQogH0). Mina focused as she watched the video. She watched how Momo moved, how she performed, but more important how consistent she was. As a dancer herself, she knew how easy it was to run out of stamina towards the end of the choreography, but Momo showed no signs of that. Once the choreography ended, Mina was about to exit the video, but stopped herself as she saw Momo walk towards the camera. She was expecting some sort of “Thanks for watching! Like, comment, and subscribe!” ending, but instead Momo just waved and rolled out of the camera shot. _What a dork_, Mina thought to herself as she giggled. Tapping the circle arrow in the middle of the screen, the video played again. Mina watched the choreography more intensely now, trying to find things to nitpick. When the video ended, she pressed replay once again. And again. And again. And again. Not only was the song catchy, but Momo herself was just downright captivating, both in her movement and her looks.

Mina exited the video and found the clock display in the corner of the screen. The movie she had watched with her roommates ended around 10PM. Her clock read “1:04AM” Mina’s eyes widened in disbelief. _There’s no way I was watching this for that long,”_ she thought as she finally closed the app. Mina returned to Momo’s Instagram page. She flicked her thumb quickly, causing the screen to scroll through the profile with high speed. There were a _lot_ of posts. Her thumb flicked the opposite direction, pulling the screen back up to the top of the page. With sleep pulling at her eyes, Mina decided not to give it a second thought, tapping the blue bar that read: “_Follow_”


	2. Hirai Momo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momo finally has time to hang out with her friends and teach her first hip-hop class since she was signed to JYP. While her friends are concerned for her complicated love life, things take a sudden turn when the internet is given a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've learned about Mina, so now it's time to learn about Momo!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it~
> 
> Enjoy!

The sound of a shutter pierced a sunstruck room. Head cocked to the side, her trademark grin, the selfie that was just captured was the winner for the day. The woman holding the phone smiled as she lowered it from its raised position the picture was taken from. She was sitting on her bed, facing the wall it was pushed up against. The morning sunlight that spilled through the glass made for the best lighting. Her hime haircut style perfectly framed her face while the rays brought life to her dark brown eyes. The woman smiled to herself, proud of her selca. She started typing a caption when a loud knock came through the door.

“Momo!” called a high-pitched voice from behind the wood, “Are you still coming with us to breakfast?”

Momo looked up from her phone and quickly stood up. “Oh my god, yes, please don’t eat without me!” she called back out. Although the picture on her phone showed a woman exuding extreme confidence, Momo’s voice was soft and almost child-like. Picking up her purse next to her bed, Momo opened the door and was immediately greeted by a tall blond. “Morning Sana,” she said with a smile as she stepped out into the hallway. The two walked together down the stairs of their home. Standing at the bottom of the stairs on the front door landing were three other women. “Sorry,” Momo apologized, waving her hands back and forth as she descended the stairs alongside Sana. The three women weren’t even paying attention to Momo as she spoke, too engrossed in their own conversation.

“If you just breathe properly, you’ll hit the yellow more, Dahyun,” Tzuyu explained, “It’s all about keeping your form still when you release.” Dahyun brought her hand up to her head and scratched it a little as she replied, “Ahhh…Is that what it is? I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.” Chaeyoung laughed and held her hand out to Dahyun. “Bro, me too!” she said with a smile. Dahyun smiled back and took Chaeyoung’s hand in hers with an exaggerated motion. “Bro!” she smiled. Tzuyu gave them both her classic death stare and said, “You’re actually children. I can’t believe I’m dating one of you.” Chaeyoung stepped closer to Tzuyu and rested her head on her shoulder. “Says the youngest. Plus you love me anyway,” she gloated.

“Wait, do you guys have Archery Club today? Didn’t you already have practice on Sunday?” Momo asked, finally joining the rest of her roommates. “Yeah, but we’re preparing for the charity event and the group who gets the highest score gets the highest donation to their charity of choice. So we’re doing two practices a week now,” explained Dahyun. “Ahh,” Momo said in understanding, “So what charity did you guys choose?”

The three women quickly looked at each other and grinned. They all assumed the same salute and said in unison, “School Meal Club! Representing Feed the Children!” Sana and Momo looked at each other with surprised faces. “Ooohhh!” Sana said, clapping her hands, Momo joining her. “Well, whatever score you guys get, I’m sure you’ll do great,” Sana said, leaning affectionately to Dahyun, giving her a kiss on her cheek. Chaeyoung dropped her salute and looked to Tzuyu. “See, why can’t you be like that?” she criticized with a pout. “Cause my love is a tough love. Deal with it,” Tzuyu said coldly.

“Can we please go eat now?” Momo started to whine. Sana let go of Dahyun to pat Momo on the top of her head. “Yes yes, we can feed you know, our beautiful garbage disposal,” she said happily. Under normal circumstances, Momo would’ve objected to such a statement, but the grumbling in her stomach didn’t leave her any energy to do so.

The five roommates and friends finally depart for breakfast at their favorite local cafe. In the heart of the city, their drive through the streets was slow and creeping, but they made it to their destination nonetheless.

“Remind me why we come here when the traffic sucks,” Sana said as she stepped out of the car.

“Because no one makes crepes like Geri’s,” Chaeyoung said.

“And no one has an aesthetic like Geri’s,” Momo chimed in, already pulling out her phone to post a story to her Snapchat.

“You don’t even post food on your Insta, it’s all dance stuff,” Dahyun interjected.

“What? My Twitter can’t have an aesthetic now?” Momo pouted.

“Not when all your followers ever talk to you about is your love life,” Tzuyu teased.

“Speaking of which,” Sana said as they all entered the cafe, “How is that going by the way? I know you guys made up and everything, but are you sure it’s okay that you guys are still friends and hanging out?”

Momo waved her hand dismissively and said, “Yeah we’re just friends. Besides, she’s seeing someone else now. I think we were always meant to just be friends.”

As regulars of the cafe, the five girls were warmly welcomed the moment they stepped inside. Despite how crowded the cafe seemed to be, they were able to get the last open table towards the back of the building. They spilled into the chairs, mixing themselves among each other. Even though all of them but Momo were dating each other, they made an effort not to sit next to their significant others. Especially since Momo had just gotten out of a serious relationship earlier that year. The four were very conscious of Momo’s feelings and didn’t want to make her feel like the odd one out.

Sitting in between Sana and Chaeyoung, Dahyun and Tzuyu took their seats across from them. “I don’t think I’m ready to have a relationship right just yet,” Momo spoke up, continuing their conversation from moments ago, “Being with girls for one night and one night alone is just fine with me.” Sana leaned towards Momo, resting her head upon her shoulder. “Whatever you wanna do, Momoring, you know we’re here for you,” she said, “Just don’t break too many hearts along the way.”

For the rest of the morning, Momo and her four roommates spent the hours talking and catching up. Momo had only been home for a week since returning from a tour with JYP, the entertainment company she worked for. They all had their own careers they were committed to during the week, but today was Friday and they all made an effort to take the day off to spend with each other. The amount of pictures taken over breakfast could’ve filled an entire physical album with their five galleries alone. They were a tight group of friends, and the breakfast date they shared was much needed.

“It’s your first class back isn’t it, Momoring?” Chaeyoung asked.

“Yeah, at seven tonight. It’s at Breakthrough,” Momo replied before taking a bite from Sana’s leftovers.

“Isn’t that where JYP found you?” inquired Dahyun, a look of surprise on her face, “You know with a name like yours you could easily teach at a bigger studio.”

“I’ve thought about that, but I can’t imagine teaching anywhere else. Breakthrough is where I started, it’s like home,” said Momo, holding her hand over her mouth as she spoke and ate at the same time. A thought suddenly came to Momo, and she quickly swallowed the food in her mouth. “Oh! I can’t forget,” she said, picking her phone up from the table. She opened her Instagram and went directly to her drafts. With a couple of quick taps, she finished typing the caption and tapped “_Post_” The table was quick to realize what was going on. They all picked up their phones and rushed to like Momo’s brand new post. It was only normal that her four closest friends were her biggest fan club. The table became quiet and Momo became concerned. “What?” she asked with her mouth full, looking from person to person in confusion. Everyone was thinking the same thing, but Sana was the one to put it into words. “Damn, Momo, you look _hot_.”

The five girls spent the rest of their day spending time together. They went shopping, took more pictures, a lot more pictures, and even ate more food together. It was a day that was dedicated to just being with each other, and Momo couldn’t have asked for a better welcome home. For the past week, the house was practically empty with everyone paying attention to their own jobs. None of them were on the same schedule, so they made their Friday date one to remember. 

********************************

When it finally came time to separate, Momo was the first to leave them. It was 6:30PM and Momo had her backpack ready. She walked out of her home and into the driveway where her car was waiting for her. It took about 25 minutes to get from her home to Breakthrough Dance Studio, but only because of the Friday night traffic. When she walked in, she was immediately greeted by excited faces and a mass amount of waves. Momo simply smiled and used both of her hands to wave back at the masses in front of her. She walked up to the front desk and said, “Is the room ready?” The woman behind the desk turned her head and noticed the door to the biggest room was still closed. “Ah, I think it’s still being used. That’s weird, she’s usually out much earlier than the next slot arrives. I’ll go check on her,” said the woman with a wide smile. The woman stood from the desk and carefully pushed her way through the crowd. She pushed up her round glasses before pushing the door open much more forcefully than she intended. Leaning through the crack in the door she called to the person inside the room. “Mina!”

After less than a minute, the woman pushed the door open further and stepped aside. “Go on in!” she said cheerfully as she held the door open for everyone. Momo joined the crowd as it filtered into the room. She made a direct line for the audio console and set her bag down next to it. Finding the aux cable, she followed it to a phone that was still connected. Momo muted the console and pulled the cord out of the phone. She turned and walked up to the woman who was packing up her things. “I assume this is yours? It was plugged into the aux,” she said politely as she held the phone out to the girl. Momo thought nothing of the interaction. She simply smiled and handed over the phone before returning to the audio console to plug in her own phone. She played the first song on her warm up playlist and unmuted the speakers. “Warm up!” she yelled over the music. Momo was about to warm up herself, but once again the girl who had been practicing before caught her attention. It wasn’t until the girl started to apologize over and over that Momo gained more interest. “It’s okay, really,” Momo said chuckling as she waved her hand dismissively. She smiled back at the girl, noticing how gummy hers seemed to be. _How formal. I wonder if she’s from Korea or Japan,_ Momo thought to herself as she watched the timid girl leave.

Momo let the song play on the speakers fully, allowing for a couple minutes of stretching and warm up for both her and her students. Once the song ended, Momo hit pause on the playlist and caught the attention of the room. “I’m sure you all saw my post on Insta,” she said. “So what’s the surprise then?” asked one of the students. A smirk pulled at the corner of Momo’s lips. “Does anyone here know the K-Pop girl group, Blackpink?” she asked, a smile growing wider on her face. The entire grew in excitement. “What?” “You’re lying!” “STOP” was said throughout the room.

Momo hit play on her phone. The hit song “Kill This Love” suddenly blasted from the speakers. The thundering trumpets and heavy bass shook the entire room. At the first “Yeah yeah yeah” lyric of the song, a woman jumped into the door frame of the room. She was tall with the longest legs a woman could possibly have. She wore a beige baseball cap, bedazzled hoop earrings, a large, baggy green and gray flannel, a white sports bra, gray sweats, and heavy black boots. There was no mistaking the orange/blond hair that hung well past her shoulders. Her wide eyes were intense and her plump lips were parted in a wide grin. When there was a break of lyrics in the music, Momo shouted, “Make some noise for Blackpink’s [Lisa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q48I1gg6-5U)!”

The song continued to play on the speakers and Lisa gradually came into the room, performing her part of the choreography perfectly. Every single student erupted in a fit of cheers, pulling out their phones to record the idol as she danced flawlessly. By the time Lisa made it to the front of the room, her first rap section of the song was over and Momo cut off the music. Lisa smiled happily and took a bow, waving at the crowd in front of her. Momo jogged to the front of the room and the two dancers hugged each other tightly. “Everyone this is my good friend Lisa, and she has so graciously accepted to help teach class today!” Momo said excitedly. “안녕하세요, I’m Lisa from Blackpink!” Lisa said with a wide smile and a bow, “Thank you for having me today. I’m so excited to work with all of you!” The crowd cheered again, clearly excited for the next hour. “Okay so details,” Momo said, taking charge of the room, “For today’s class we’ll be working in pairs. I choreographed this piece together for another music artist while I was overseas, and Lisa already knows the steps, so we’ll be teaching you together. Alright, everyone get into pairs and let’s learn the first eight counts.” The next hour went by faster than Momo realized. For the last fifteen minutes of class, a man with a small camera rig arrived to record some groups doing the choreography they had just learned. Momo and Lisa recorded their own performance last, executing the steps perfectly while keeping chemistry and stage presence with each other. And just like that, the hour of class was over.

Once the videographer finished recording, Momo took her place at the front of the room with Lisa at her side. “Thank you all so much for your hard work today, guys. And let’s not forget to thank Lisa for taking the time to dance with us today!” Momo said excitedly as she clapped and gestured to Lisa. Lisa laughed and smiled gratefully, bowing once again and saying, “Thank you so much for having me!” The next twenty minutes consisted purely of each student individually asking Lisa for a picture with them. Lisa didn’t mind, however, she was used to the attention. While Lisa was busy being an idol, Momo gathered her things and tidied up the room for the next slot. When Lisa said her goodbyes to the last fan, she turned to look at Momo and just smiled.

“Why haven’t we done this more often? I almost forgot what just dancing feels like,” she said, taking off her baseball cap to adjust her bangs, which never seemed to move from her forehead. Momo laughed and started to walk out of the room, Lisa walking next to her. “We can’t exactly choreograph together with your schedule. You just finished touring though, right? If you want, we can come up with another one before you go back home,” said Momo. “We can definitely collab on the choreo, but my flight is Friday morning, so I won’t be able to teach it with you,” Lisa said, disappointed. As they passed the front desk, Momo waved at the woman behind it and said, “See you later, Sadness.” The woman smiled and waved back while saying, “See you next week, Momo!” When they were out of the building Lisa quickly asked, “Why do you call her Sadness?” Momo laughed and said, “Cause she looks like Sadness. From that animated movie.” Lisa’s eyes widened as she realized the similarities. “Oh my god, she does!” she laughed.

********************************

Momo and Lisa’s time together after class was longer than they anticipated. The idol had a photoshoot early tomorrow morning and she needed to sleep early if she was to fix her jet lag and be well rested for the camera, but being with Momo made her forget about her responsibilities. The two spoke for single hour at a local cafe over coffee and pastries. Even when the cafe closed, they moved to the metal tables outside and continued their conversation. When it was time to say their goodbyes, a private driver(courtesy of the company Lisa worked for) arrived at the cafe to pick up Lisa. “I’ll text you sometime tomorrow about the new choreo. If you have any songs in mind, I’m open to ideas,” Momo said as she hugged Lisa. Lisa gave Momo a firm squeeze with her arms, smiling as she replied, “Of course. I’m excited to work with you more again.” The two let go of each other and they both waved as Lisa stepped into the passenger seat of the black SUV while Momo got into her own car.

By the time Momo returned home, it was around 1AM. “I’m home,” she said as she stepped through the door, closing it behind her. “Welcome home, Momo!” Dahyun called out from the kitchen. When she emerged from the walkway, she had a chocolate bar in her hand. “How was your first class back?” she asked as she chewed the sweet treat. “So fun,” Momo said with an exhausted smile, “I surprised everyone by bringing in Lisa to help me teach a pairs dance.”

“YOU WHAT?!” a voice yelled from upstairs. The thumping sounds of heavy footsteps rattled the home as Sana appeared behind the upper railing. “You were with Lisa today?!” she shouted.

“SHE WAS WITH WHO?” another voice yelled. Shuffling of house slippers became louder as Chaeyoung ran into the conversation from the living room.

Tzuyu, who was in the kitchen with Dahyun, poked her head out from the walkway and looked at Momo with concerned eyes. And for the second time today, Momo was left with all of her friends staring at her with worried looks.

“Guys, it’s okay, I promise. I told you guys this morning, we’re just friends and she’s already seeing someone else,” said Momo, uninterested in the conversation, “Why is everyone awake so late anyway?” She walked passed the School Meal Club and collapsed onto the plush couch in the living room. The rest of the roommates followed her, joining her in the living room, but sat in various places to allow Momo to sprawl fully on the couch. “We all forgot to eat dinner after we all came home and started to get cravings, so we did a midnight convenient store run. Sugar has kept us up until now,” Sana explained.

“But back to the real conversation! You guys haven’t seen each other since the breakup. Are you sure spending so much time with her is a good idea, Momoring?” Sana asked as she sat with her knees hugged to her chest on the opposite side of the coffee table. “You guys are worse than parents, I swear,” Momo sighed as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and started to scroll through her social media. “Woah wait a minute…” she said, focusing on her phone more closely. A part of Momo desperately wanted to change the conversation while another part of her was genuinely curious about what was on her screen. “Who is this verified account that just followed my Instagram?”

Sana still had a look of concern for her friend, but knew that trying to continue such a conversation would just irritate her more. It would have to be a subject for another time. “Oo oo lemme see!” Chaeyoung said, holding her hand out for Momo’s phone. Momo handed her the phone and awaited some sort of confirmation. Chaeyoung stared intensely at the phone. After a moment of silence she suddenly said, “Nope. Dunno her. Super pretty though.” Chaeyoung handed the phone to Sana who was sitting closest to her. Sana looked at the phone for a moment before saying, “No, I don’t know her either. Babe? Maybe you do, she does ballet so maybe you’ve crossed classical paths before?” Dahyun was in mid chew of a piece of chocolate when she took the phone from Sana. The moment her eyes fell on the screen, they widened and she suddenly started hitting Tzuyu with the back of her hand. “Ow! What, Dahyun?!” Tzuyu irritatedly said. Dahyun turned the phone to face Tzuyu, and the girl’s reaction was the exact same. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god!” Tzuyu said, hitting Dahyun’s thigh with the exact same flurry of slaps.

“Will one of you please tell us who it is already?” said Sana. Dahyun excitedly showed Momo her own phone screen and said, “This is THE Myoui Mina! She’s only the most famous ballerina ever. She’s our age and has performed literally _everywhere._ I bet she has to get her passport replaced every year with how much traveling she has to do. The pianist for the opera house in the city suddenly got sick one day from food poisoning so I was asked to play the piano for one of her performances. She’s downright stunning when she dances.”

“When I was still an intern, I was asked to help with a big photoshoot for a famous ballet company that was touring, and Myoui Mina was the main performer. Even though she was the star, she was the sweetest person in that cast. She even bought us food. She’s really big on Twitter because of how soft and cute she is. Her fans adore her, and most of them don’t even like ballet. They just like Mina for being Mina. She probably has more followers than you Momo,” Tzuyu said with a smirk.

“I doubt that,” Momo scoffed, taking her phone. After a few taps of her thumb, Momo’s eyebrows raised in shock. “Well shit, I guess she does,” she said plainly. “But I have more Instagram followers than her!” Momo chimed, trying to gain her clout back.

“To be fair, you did date Lisa from Blackpink, who has one of the biggest Instagram accounts. Of course more people follow you there, Lisa tagged you in a lot of stuff when you guys were dating,” Tzuyu countered.

Momo looked down at her phone screen with a puzzled look. She was unsure what to do and it was clear as day on her face that she felt almost intimidated by someone who was bigger than her. “Okay so…” she said, “Do I follow her back then?”

“No need, I did that for you. Both on Twitter and Instagram,” Dahyun said, casually popping another piece of her chocolate bar into her mouth.

Momo looked back down at her phone and saw the blue “_Follow_” bar had already turned to the white “_Followed_” bar. “Dahyun!” Momo yelled, hanging her head over the couch in defeat. “What? How can you not follow Myoui Mina? That’s like...a crime,” Dahyun said, eating another piece of chocolate.

“Wait a minute…” Momo said as she noticed something on one of Mina’s Instagram posts. She tapped the post, enlarging the selfie that she had taken. It took Momo a minute to process what she was trying to determine, but after a minute of thought she realized there was no mistaking that gummy smile. She took a minute to really get a good look at who Myoui Mina was and couldn't deny the beauty Dahyun was talking about. Her staring was cut short, however, as she finally put the pieces together. “Wait I saw this girl today!” she said.

Dahyun almost choked on her chocolate. She looked at Momo with a face of disbelief and said, “You met THE Myoui Mina today and didn’t even know you were standing in the same room as an actual angel sent to earth to bless us all?” Tzuyu leaned against Dahyun, her head resting on her shoulder while her face carried a sad expression. “It’s not fair, Dubu,” she said. Dahyun nodded and leaned her head against Tzuyu’s. “It should’ve been us, Yoda,” she said, mirroring the same sad expression.

“You guys are ridiculous,” Momo said, finally locking her phone and tossing it to the side on the couch, “She probably gets people even bigger than me following her all the time. Me following her isn’t a big deal.”

********************************

On a Friday night, it was common for people to stay up later than usual. Mine and her roommates were no different. Nayeon and Jeongyeon were binge watching a drama in the living room, per Nayeon’s request, while Jihyo worked on her laptop in silence in the same room. A squeal could be heard from upstairs as it echoed and bounced against the walls and wood flooring. Almost immediately following, there was a thud, as if something fell. The three roommates stopped immediately what they were doing and looked at each other with confused faces. “Go check on her, Mom,” Nayeon said as she lied comfortably on Jeongyeon’s lap. Jihyo glared at Nayeon and rolled her eyes. She picked up her phone from beside her and starting typing a message.

Mom: Mina? You okay up there?  
Minari: [screenshot 1] [screenshot 2]

Jihyo looked at her phone and immediately squealed. “No way!” she said as she frantically opened both her Instagram and Twitter to confirm. “You gonna share or….?” Jeongyeon said, Nayeon sharing the same unamused face. “Check the chat,” Jihyo said with a grin. Nayeon looked up at Jeongyeon for a moment before they both shrugged and picked up their own phones. At the same time, their eyes widened and Nayeon gasped in shock. Shortly after, quick steps could be heard coming closer and closer to them. Mina was running, heading straight for the spot next to Jihyo on the couch. “There’s messages everywhere, help!” Mina whined, handing Jihyo her phone and hiding behind her back.

_Does this mean Mina is leaving ballet for hip hop?_  
_Wait, so Mina isn’t coming back to ballet?_  
_NEW SHIP. NEW SHIP. NEW SHIP. :eyes:_  
_I don't care who this Mina girl is, Lisa is wayyyy better_  
_Momo getting into ballet now?_  
_How does someone as average as Mina get someone as gorgeous as Momo to follow her?_  
_The gays are eating this shit up_  
_I’m soooo jealoussss :sob: _  
_idk what this is about, but whatever you’re doing Mina, I support you :heart:_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that updates for this fic will be every Monday~


	3. Defenses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina and Momo seek solace from their best friends as the internet continues to conjure up a theory storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of Mina's teaser today, I decided to post this week's update early!
> 
> Enjoy reading and don't forget to Feel Special~

A warm glow fell into a room filled with penguin plushies and concert programs pinned to the cork boards. Soft brown eyes watched as bars of gold moved across her room. Mina had been awake for hours now. A certain mutual follower gave her a sleepless night. Not the follower herself, but rather the fans associated with her. Mina turned over on her bed, picking up her phone that sat next to her pillow. She had set her phone to ‘silent’ since the night before in an attempt to get some shut eye, but the feeling still lingered in her mind, causing her to wake up every hour. When the phone screen came to life, sure enough, a wall of notifications waiting for her. Reading the clock display it read “6:41AM.” Mina sighed and begrudgingly opened her phone and decided to check Twitter first. A third of the notifications were replies of her own fans supporting and defending her, another third were new followers, and the last third were those new followers at’ing her for more information about her and Momo. Mina didn’t mind being in the spotlight, after all she was a performer, but this wasn’t the kind of attention she wanted.

Mina: You awake?  
Jihyo: Yeah I’m just in the kitchen finishing up my breakfast, you okay?  
Mina: I couldn’t sleep last night...  
Jihyo: Come down, I’ll make you some breakfast and we can talk more. 2yeon are still asleep tho  
Mina: That’s okay, I’d rather just talk to you about this anyway

Mina locked her phone and finally sat up in her bed. She removed herself from the covers and swung her legs around to stand up. She was wearing a silk pajama set, also with penguins on them. Mina picked up her phone and carried it with her downstairs to the kitchen. When she arrived, Jihyo was already in the process of making more scrambled eggs. Mina sat at one of the barstools on the other side of the marble-top bar that separated the living room and the kitchen.

“Alright, talk to me,” Jihyo said as she moved the eggs in the pan with a spatula. She had her back turned, and the kitchen was filled with cooking sounds, but Mina’s sigh as she sat down was loud enough to overcome them. “I just don’t know what to do about this. The notifications won’t stop, and people are reading more into it than they should,” Mina said, falling onto the countertop. Her arms were stretched directly in front of her head as her chin rested on the cool marble. With her phone in front of her face, the screen constantly dimmed and lit up again as each new notification came through. “Well maybe you’re reading more into it too, Minari,” Jihyo said as she switched pans to tend to the sizzling bacon. Mina’s head perked up, her eyes looking at the back of Jihyo’s head. “What do you mean?” she asked. Jihyo switched pans again, sprinkling salt and garlic pepper over the eggs before giving them a couple more turns in the pan. “You’ve been verified on Twitter and Instagram long enough to know that trolls will just be trolls. You can’t control what people think, but you can choose one of two options: either ignore it all, or block it all,” Jihyo explained, taking a step to the side to pull out a clean plate from the cabinet. “But there’s too many threads to mute. Everytime I mute one, another pops up. And I don’t want to make my profiles private because my loyal fans are still there. I just want to block out everything to do with Momo,” Mina whined, picking herself up to rest her chin in her palms while her elbows support her on the counter. Jihyo picked up one pan at a time, pushing the eggs and bacon onto the clean plate before turning around to finally face Mina. As she walked up to her, she continued speaking, “So then what if you just block Momo’s accounts? You barely know her anyway. In fact, you don’t even know her at all. You just saw each other in passing and decided to follow her as a colleague, not as a friend.” Mina’s lips scrunched in thought as she considered her options. Jihyo set a fork down on the full plate and put her hands on the counter, taking Mina’s. “You don’t have to put up with anything that you don’t want to, Mina. I’m sure Momo is a nice person, but the whole reason you’re home right now is because you needed some personal time,” said Jihyo with kind eyes and a small smile. Mina squeezed Jihyo’s hands in hers as she listened to her intently. She nodded as she spoke and let out a deep sigh. “You’re right. I’m here for me. And I’m here for you guys. I don’t need anyone else right now,” Mina said, giving Jihyo’s hands another squeeze. Jihyo’s smile widened, relieved to see Mina coming to a decision. The night prior consisted of Jihyo being with Mina until 2AM just to calm her down from the first hour of the notification storm. “Good,” Jihyo said firmly, “Now eat.” Jihyo let go of Mina’s hands and turned back into the kitchen, moving to clean everything she had just used.

“What time do you have to be at the office today?” Mina said after taking a few bites of her food. The delicious food made by her friend was already calming her down. “First client isn’t until 10, but I wanted to get there early so I can clock off early. Daniel wants to take me out to dinner,” replied Jihyo, a pep in her step. “So he’s nice?” Mina asked curiously. “So far, I have nothing to complain about, but we’ll see. It’s only been a month, after all,” Jihyo said over the sound of running water as she washed dishes. “What about you? Got any plans for today?” Jihyo asked. Mina took another bite while Jihyo spoke. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she replied, “I think I’ll just go to the studio for an hour or two today. Just to de-stress and get my mind off everything.” Mina swallowed the food in her mouth and lowered her hand before continuing, “When I’m dancing, I don’t really think about anything else. I know Breakthrough is usually busy on Saturday, but I’m hoping there’s at least one of the small practice rooms open for me to use.” Jihyo turned and noticed Mina was just finishing up. As Mina took her last bite, Jihyo picked up Mina’s empty plate and pulled her fork right out of her hand. Mina, still chewing, looked at Jihyo with a funny look. “Just don’t overdo it okay, Mina? Sometimes when you dance, you forget how long you’ve been dancing for. Be sure to set an alarm and don’t forget to eat lunch later,” Jihyo said as she finished washing Mina’s plate and setting it in the dishwasher rack. “Yes, Mom,” Mina said, rolling her eyes playfully. She pushed herself off the barstool and turned to leave, but stopped after the first step to look at Jihyo. “Thank you,” she said, an almost apologetic smile on her face. Jihyo was wiping her hands dry with a hand towel, giving Mina a reassuring smile. “Anything for you, Minari,” she said.

By the time Mina finished getting herself ready for the day, it was 9:30AM. Jihyo had long left for work and both Nayeon and Jeongyeon were getting ready to do the same. “Photoshoot this early?” Mina asked as she passed their bathroom door. “Nayeon didn’t want to do it in the evening, and as her agent I have to, regrettably, be with her so...yeah, photoshoot this early,” said a tired Jeongyeon. Nayeon was fixing her hair, giving Jeongyeon no mind as she made cute faces in the mirror. “You could’ve said no to watching that drama with me last night. But nooooo, you wanted to spend time with me,” teased Nayeon. Jeongyeon rolled her eyes and leaned to Nayeon, giving her a kiss on her temple. “Shut up and hurry. If we leave early enough we can get breakfast on the way,” she said. Nayeon pouted and said, “Okay okay, five minutes.” Jeongyeon and Mina left Nayeon to finish in the bathroom. “What she really means is fifteen,” Jeongyeon whispered to Mina as they walked downstairs, making Mina giggle.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Mina and Jeongyeon parted ways. Mina went for the front door while Jeongyeon left for the living room to get her laptop. “See you later, Minari,” Jeongyeon said, waving as she disappeared behind a corner. Mina called back out, “Bye, have a good time at the photoshoot!” Mina grabbed her keys from one of the many hooks next to the front door and stepped outside, eager for the day ahead.

Mina arrived at the Breakthrough Dance Studio by 10AM. A trip that should’ve taken just 15 minutes was extended due to living in such a dense city. Traffic lights alone usually doubled travel time. Mina pushed through the main doors of Breakthrough and was greeted by a familiar face. “Good morning, Mina!” Na Yeon said happily with a wave. “Good morning, Sadness!” Mina said, that wide smile instantly cheering her up. “I know this is last minute,” Mina said as she approached the front desk, “But is there a room I could use for an hour or two?” Na Yeon quickly nodded and said, “Actually, this morning’s master class had to be cancelled because the instructor decided to move to a bigger location, so the main studio is open for you!” Mina’s eyes brightened, a wide smile appearing on her face. “Really? Are you sure that’s okay?” she asked. Na Yeon nodded again, shooing Mina off with her hands, “Yes yes, go go go, take as much time as you want. We don’t have anything scheduled in there until the late afternoon, so it’s all yours, Mina.” Mina let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Na Yeon. “Thank you so much,” she said as she passed the desk.

Mina walked into the empty studio, the sound of her sneakers against the floor echoed in the empty room. She set her things down against one of the walls and sat down. While starting to stretch, she pulled out her phone and sighed at the sight of the wall of notifications. She scrolled through them aimlessly, replaying Jihyo’s advice over in her head. When she opened Instagram, however, she noticed that there was a new post from Momo. The thumbnail was of what looked like to be Momo and someone else in the middle of a dance. Mina was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming amount of curiosity, causing her to tap the post. The caption read: “All I wanna do is have fun with this one :heart: Thank you to everyone who came to the class yesterday! Full vid in bio :fire:” Mina exited the post and immediately tapped the small link in at the top of the page. Her phone redirected her to a video that was posted by Momo’s official YouTube.

The setting in the [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_P0mqhSrJ0) was the exact same room that Mina was sitting in. When the video started, the opening credits rolled with the videographer’s logo and Momo’s name and...Blackpink’s Lisa? Soon after, the choreography started, showing three pairs at a time. The song was clearly hip-hop, featuring a mix of moves that were hard hitting and groovy. After seeing the choreography twice, Mina was about to exit the video, but stopped when the third clip of groups started. Or rather, single group. There she was, Hirai Momo in all her confidence dancing with another woman with orange blond hair. The two were undeniably the best at the choreography. Not only did they execute the steps with their own personality, but they had chemistry as they performed together. They were even unafraid to get close during the sensual parts, getting so close to the point where they were physically touching. Cheek to cheek, temple to crown, back to front. When the choreography ended, Mina moved the video slider back to the beginning of Momo’s part. She watched it over and over again. She wasn’t quite sure how many times she had watched Momo and Lisa perform the dance together, but when she finally stopped pushing the video slider back, she watched as they video ended with them in a happy embrace.

Seeing Momo so freely with Lisa made Mina feel even more of an outsider. Although their paths crossed the day before, Mina couldn’t help but feel that their worlds were never meant to collide. Mina returned to Momo’s profile and stared at the grid of posts, eyes focused on the most recent post that she had just watched for…. _Wait how is it 10:30 already?_ she thought. Mina shook her head, dismissing the thought quickly. She looked one last time at Momo’s profile and let out a sigh as she came to a decision. A couple taps on Instagram, and a couple taps on Twitter. Mina stood up and walked to the audio console, plugged in her phone, and started a rather lengthy playlist. The soft sound of a flute could be heard first and Mina took a deep breath in and out to mentally prepare herself. She walked back to her things against the wall and started stretching again. Once she felt warmed up enough, she began the meticulous process of putting on her pointe shoes. When she finished tying both of them she stood up and walked to the center of the room, taking a neutral position while her head was bowed, eyes closed. Another deep breath, and Mina let the music overcome her. When Mina opened her eyes, her body gracefully burst to life with the emotion of the symphony.

********************************

The crashing sound of a piano hitting the peak of the sheet music sitting on the stand reverberated throughout the room. Skillful fingers danced along black and white keys as eyes focused intensely at the paper inches before it. The music was beautiful, but a horrendous chord suddenly cut through. “Ahhh!” Dahyun said as she slammed her fingers on aimless keys, “I can’t get this right!” The composer brought her hands up to her ash blue hair and scratched back and forth in frustration. Dahyun let her hands fall and pouted as she stared at the sheet music in front of her, attempting to decipher her own chicken-scratch notes that were written mid-song. A hand reached out and tapped the top of Dahyun’s head. “Dubu,” said Momo, her other hand occupied by her phone as she stared down at it, “Why don’t you take a break? You’ve been playing for an hour straight.” Momo looked away from her phone for a moment to smooth out her friend’s disheveled hair as she waited for her reply. A frown made its way to Momo’s face when all she saw was the back of a head with ash blue hair. “Dahyun!” Momo called. Dahyun was scribbling even more nonsense on the sheet music in front of her. Without even turning around, she said, “Ehhh?” Momo clicked her tongue in irritation. She pushed her phone in front of Dahyun’s face and said, “I need you to tell me if this is a good caption.” Dahyun finally snapped from her trainwreck of thought. She reached up and took the phone from Momo and started tapping on the screen. “There, I fixed it,” she said, holding the phone back out to her friend. Momo took the phone and read the caption aloud: “Follow @dubuhyun” Momo immediately pushed the girl’s shoulder and yelled, “Dahyun!” Dahyun was in the middle of furiously writing with her pencil as she replied, “What? I thought it was pretty good.” Momo sat down next to Dahyun on the piano bench and edited her caption back to its original state. “Why am I even friends with you,” she teased, tapping the “_Post_” button. Dahyun put her pencil down and turned her head to look at Momo. “We’ve been friends since high school. If you wanted to end the friendship, you would’ve left already,” Dahyun teased back.

Momo’s phone erupted in a fit of vibrations. “And there’s the wave,” Dahyun said jokingly, picking up the stack of sheets in front of her and reorganizing them on the stand. “You wanna watch it?” Momo asked with a grin, holding her phone out with the video already prepped on the YouTube player. Dahyun leaned over and picked up her tumbler cup from the floor. “Alright, hit it, Momoring,” she said before taking the straw into her mouth. When the video started, Dahyun immediately threw her free arm up in a dab and said, “Ooh!” Momo smiled as she observed Dahyun watching the video. She was proud of her work and it made her happy when people she cared about had positive opinions. Towards the end of the video Dahyun yelled as she pointed at the screen. “Ahh! You _were_ with her last night!” she said in shock. “Did you think I made that up?” Momo said, rolling her eyes. “I just can’t believe you guys are dancing together again. I mean, it’s what broke you guys up in the first place,” Dahyun said as she continued to watch the video. She suddenly pushed Momo with her shoulder and said, “Naughty Momo!” The video ended and Momo pushed her back with her own shoulder. “It means nothing. It was just dancing, Dahyun,” she said. “Uh-huh,” Dahyun said, fiddling with the end of her straw with her mouth, “I’m sure your followers will definitely think you guys aren’t fucking.” Momo threw her head back in frustration and desperately said, “We’re just friends!” Dahyun chuckled and replied, “Well duh, I know that, Momo, but you have to think about how this looks to everyone else. Three months of keeping both your followers out of the loop of your relationship, and out of the blue post that you’re single? People like to hold onto things that are long gone. Watch, check your comments. How many of them are about you and Lisa being back together?”

Momo pouted and regrettably opened her brand new Instagram post. There were already hundreds of comments on the post, and just as Dahyun said, almost all of them were about the possibility of her and Lisa being a couple again. Momo was silent as she read through the comments. “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Dahyun teased triumphantly before setting her cup back down on the floor next to her. She brought her hands back up to begin playing her unfinished piece, but stopped at the sound, or rather lack thereof, of Momo’s silence. “Momo?” Dahyun called, looking at Momo’s furrowed face, “You okay?” Momo tilted her head to the side in confusion and remained silent. She navigated through her social media apps and frowned slightly. “Mina blocked me on everything,” she said, a tone of hurt in her voice. Dahyun’s face scrunched in concern. “What?” she said, leaning closer to Momo to get a look at her phone screen. “That’s weird,” she said, “Hold on.” Dahyun stood up and took a couple steps toward the table next to the couch. She swiped and tapped through her phone as she sat back down next to Momo, mouth in a pout while she attempted to find some sort of explanation among comments and posts. “She didn’t post anything about it on either of her profiles,” Dahyun said, rather defeated. She set her phone down on the bench next to her and turned to look at Momo. “Maybe she just doesn’t like the attention? She’s really famous, but on Twitter she’s very introverted. Every time she posts a picture, she’s always doing something by herself. She only talks about her friends in text posts and now that I think about it, all of her fans have agreed that she’s never dated anyone. At least not publicly,” explained Dahyun. Momo raised an eyebrow, looking at Dahyun with an incredulous look. “What?” said Dahyun, “I stan Mina.”

Momo looked back down at her phone, her mouth moving from side to side every so often as she read through the comments. “People come up with the weirdest theories,” she said as she continued to scroll. Dahyun stared a Momo for a full minute, determining quickly that her best friend was more troubled than she expected her to be. “Does it really bother you that much? You lose followers all the time, it comes with being famous,” Dahyun said. Momo sighed and locked her phone, finally looking back at Dahyun. “Yeah I know that, but so is she. She should know what fans and haters are like, why would something like this make her block me from everything? I mean, I understand unfollowing or muting, but blocking? Seems really extreme doesn’t it?” Momo said. Dahyun was quick to reply. “Do you know why she’s here? I mean in the city?” she inquired. Momo shook her head. “She took a break from her career,” continued Dahyun, “She lost the motivation to dance and so she’s on hiatus because she’s trying to find her drive again. I think you’re reading too much into it, Momoring. Maybe Mina just wants to focus on herself, without the distractions of an online scandal like a theory of you two dating.”

Momo was silent as she listened to Dahyun. Her mouth pouted as she considered each scenario of Mina blocking her. Dahyun waited for Momo to say something, but it was clear that she needed to take charge of the conversation. “If you’re so worried about it, why don’t you just ask her? You ran into her at Breakthrough before, it’s only a matter of time before you run into her again,” Dahyun said, trying to encourage her friend. Momo sighed again, nodding shortly after. “Okay I will,” she said firmly, “Thanks, Dahyun.” Dahyun smiled and brought Momo in to hug her shoulders. “Anything for you, Momoring,” she said cheerfully.

Momo opened her phone again to read more comments, but stopped at the sight of a red sliver at the top right corner of the screen. “Ahh, I think I left my phone charger at the studio.” Momo checked the time on her phone. “_2:12PM_” “Na Yeon should still be there, I can ask her if someone turned it in,” she said as she stood up and headed for the front door. “I don’t know why you don’t just buy two chargers and keep one in your car,” Dahyun said as she watched Momo get up, fiddling with the pencil in her hand. “Dahyun, I barely remember to bring my phone with me whenever I go out anyway,” Momo defended, slipping on her shoes. “Or you can just get an iPhone like everyone else so you don’t have to worry about a charger ever again,” Dahyun teased, a grin on her face. “Leave me and my Android alone,” Momo laughed as she finally left Dahyun to compose in peace.

********************************

Momo pushed through the main doors of Breakthrough Dance Studio and was met with a smiling face. “Well this is a surprise!” said Na Yeon. “Hi, Sadness!” Momo said, waving both of her hands back and forth with a smile. “I left my charger here last night, can I slip into the big room and go get it?” she asked. “Ahh, Mina is in there. I would wait until there’s a break in between tracks. She gets scared easily,” Na Yeon said, chuckling slightly. Momo’s eyes widened slightly. As Dahyun said, she was going to run into Mina eventually, but she wasn’t expecting it to be so soon. “Okay, thank you,” Momo said with a small bow. When she turned into the hallway, the muffled sounds of varying music bled through the walls. When she finally made it to the door leading into the biggest room of the studio, she walked up to the small window built into it. The moment her eyes landed on the woman inside, Momo’s jaw dropped.

Mina’s body was as fluid as water, yet as firm as a rock. Despite wearing yoga pants and a baggy, knit sweater, Mina’s movements were overflowing with elegance and beauty. Being so focused on hip-hop all her life, Momo had never seen a ballerina up close, and certainly not one as professional as Mina. The steps seemed so foreign to Momo, but she wasn’t confused, she was captivated. The music seemed to be picking up now, Mina’s body following its rising intensity. With every spin, every leap, the dance itself was increasing in difficulty. The last note was coming closer and Momo watched closely as Mina prepared herself for the final move. However, as soon as the music peaked, Mina collapsed to the floor. Momo’s head reeled back slightly as her eyebrows furrowed. _Maybe that’s the ending tableaux?_ she thought as her eyes were still on Mina. Momo waited for a moment, but quickly realized the reality of the situation.

With a hard shove, Momo ran into the room and crouched in front of the collapsed ballerina. Gently, she pushed her hair out of her face, showing her eyes had closed. Without giving it a second thought, Momo pushed her hands under Mina’s body, picking her up by her shoulders and the back of her knees. When she stepped out into the hallway, she called out, “Na Yeon, Mina collapsed!” A sudden shuffle could be heard from the end of the hallway as Na Yeon quickly rose from the desk. “Bring her here!” she called back out, holding open a door. With Mina in her arms, Momo quickly carried her down the hallway and into the room Na Yeon was standing in front of. The room was small, big enough for a single cot, chair, and metal cabinet. Momo carefully set Mina down on the cot and looked at Na Yeon. “I’ll go get some water. Is there anyone we can call?” she asked. Na Yeon brought her phone up to her cheek. “Already on it. I’ll get the water, just stay with her okay?” she said, stepping out of the room. Momo nodded and watched Na Yeon leave. When the door shut, the silence that fell upon the room made Momo feel uneasy. She looked back down at Mina, staring at her. Mina’s face was red and sweaty, but somehow looked peaceful. Momo pulled the single chair from behind her and sat down, setting her hands in her lap as she watched over Mina in silence.

Na Yeon returned within minutes with a glass of water along with a wet rag. She handed them to Momo as she walked in. Momo set the glass down on the ground next to the cot before folding the rag into a rectangle and placing it on Mina’s forehead. “Someone’s coming to pick her up. They should be here in 15,” Na Yeon said, looking at Mina with a concerned expression. “How long has she been dancing?” Momo asked, the same concerned expression on her own face. “She came in around 10, what time is it now?” Na Yeon said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “She’s been dancing nonstop for _four hours_?” Momo said before Na Yeon had a chance to check. Na Yeon crossed her arms over her chest and sighed before saying, “Mina has always been like this. She always gets lost in dance and doesn’t realize how tired she is. Although, completely collapsing has never happened before. I wonder why she pushed herself so far this time.”

A commotion took Na Yeon’s attention away. She turned and saw the studio lobby quickly fill up with bodies. “Ahh, the jazz class is starting soon,” she said. Na Yeon turned to look at Momo with an apologetic look. “Can you watch over her while I check them in?” she pleaded. Momo nodded and gave Na Yeon a reassuring smile. “Of course,” she said. Na Yeon bowed slightly and stepped out of the room, once again leave Momo alone with Mina.

About ten minutes passed and Momo was still staring at Mina. A million and one questions and conversation scenarios ran through her mind as she gathered what she wanted to say once the ballerina finally woke up. Mina stirred on the cot, her eyes squinting as they slowly opened. Her eyes landed on the ceiling tiles, and she recognized where she was. “Jihyo is gonna kill me…” she whispered, bringing her hand up to rub her eyes. “Who’s Jihyo?” ask Momo. Mina squeaked as her body jerked suddenly, the wet rag on her forehead flinging off. Her eyes shifted to her side and fell on the one person she didn’t want to see. Those warm eyes, the red lipstick, that stupid hime haircut.

“What are you doing here?” Mina asked, sitting up quickly. A sharp pain suddenly struck Mina’s head and she brought her hand up to her temple. She winced in pain and grit her teeth until it subsided. “I left my phone charger here last night, I just came to pick it up. But nevermind that, why were you dancing for four hours straight?” Momo said, genuinely concerned. “I lost track of time, that’s all. I’m fine,” Mina said, moving to push herself off the bed. Momo rose out of the chair slightly, holding her hands out towards Mina to stop her, but was careful not to touch her. “You’re not fine, you collapsed from exhaustion. You need to take it slow and easy for a little bit. At least until whoever Na Yeon called for you comes,” Momo said.

“Okay well, I’m awake now. So can you please leave?” Mina said, rather irritated. “What’s your deal? I’m just trying to help you,” Momo snapped back at her. “You’ve helped enough. Especially last night. I don’t need anything else from you,” Mina said, her voice getting quieter towards the end. “Is that what this is about? Are you seriously going to let some internet trolls get into your head like that?” Momo scoffed. “I just don’t want to involve myself with people like you, that’s all, Mina said, looking down at her lap. Her hands were scrunched around her baggy sweater, balled into fists. “People like me? You don’t even know me,” Momo said angrily. “I know enough,” Mina retorted, snapping her head to finally look at Momo, “Your charm and confidence get you everywhere and everyone eats it up. Following you was a mistake. All this attention I’m getting does nothing but stress me out. Why do you think I couldn’t stop dancing today? I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

The two dancers stared intensely at each other. The tension was so thick, even breathing too hard would cut through it. The door to the room suddenly opened and Jihyo hustled inside. Momo broke eye contact with Mina and quickly stood up from her chair. As Jihyo approached, Momo took a couple steps back, pressing her back against the wall. She looked away from Mina and towards the door, where her eyes landed on another woman with long, wavy black hair. They didn’t look at each other for long, because Momo quickly shifted her gaze down to her feet as she crossed her arms over her chest. The anger that swelled within her from her conversation with Mina was still fresh in her veins.

Jihyo pulled Mina into a hug. “I told you not to overdo it,” she said, pushing away to hold her at arms length. “I know, I’m sorry. I forgot to set an alarm like you said,” Mina apologized, looking down at her hands. “Come on, we’re taking you home so you can rest. I’ll make you some soup,” Jihyo said, holding her hands out for Mina to use as she stood up. “But wait, aren’t you going out with Daniel tonight? And Jeongyeon, weren’t you with Nayeon at the photoshoot?” said Mina as she walked towards Jeongeon. “I can cancel those plans. We’re taking you home, Mina,” Jihyo said. “Nayeon will be okay without me for an hour. The photographer is really picky about the concept, so she’s got her hands full,” Jeongyeon added, wrapping an arm around Mina’s waist as she came closer. “Jeongyeon will take you in my car. I’ll drive yours. Where’s your keys?” Jihyo asked. “In the room still,” Mina said, exhaustion clear in her voice. “Okay I’ll be right out, you guys go ahead. Take care of her, Jeongyeon, you hear me?” Jihyo firmly said. Jeongyeon rose her hand as she turned. “Yes, Mom. See you at home,” she said as she walked with Mina out of the building.

Momo was still in the room, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. She avoided eye contact with everyone the moment they came into the room, and intended to do so until she was the only one left. “Thank you,” Jihyo softly said, “for watching over her.” Momo looked up and met Jihyo’s eyes. She gave her a small nod as she pressed her lips into a line. A silence came between them as Jihyo tried to find something to say. “Mina’s very fragile, you know…” she finally spoke up. Momo’s expression instantly shifted to a softer one, her interest in the conversation suddenly piquing. “Don’t take her blocking you personally,” Jihyo continued, “It’s not you, it’s just that Mina isn’t good with situations like this.” Momo scoffed and said, “Yeah I can tell. You should’ve heard what she was saying before you walked in.” Jihyo chuckled and nodded, understanding fully. “She put up her walls and got mad at you didn’t she?” she said, a small smile on her face. Momo nodded silently. “Yeah, that’s our Minari. She doesn’t let people in because she doesn’t want them to leave. All she’s ever known is ballet, it’s rare for her to let new people into her life.”

“I know I have no business saying this but…” Jihyo said, “Don’t involve yourself with her unless you plan on staying. It’s just easier that way.” Momo said nothing as she looked at Jihyo. The look that Jihyo gave her was stern and genuine. Momo couldn’t find any words to say, so she just looked down, and Jihyo took that as her queue to leave. “Well...Thank you again,” said Jihyo, giving Momo a slight bow before leaving the room.

Left alone in the room, Momo’s muscles finally relaxed. Her arms fell to her sides as she let out a deep sigh that she had no idea she was holding onto. She stayed in the room until she saw Jihyo pass by the window of the door, holding Mina’s things as she walked out. When she was certain Jihyo was gone, she walked out of the room and gave a reassuring smile to Na Yeon, who still had her hands full at the front desk. She walked back down the hallway and slipped into the rehearsal room that was now peppered with people who were warming up for their jazz class. Momo was discreet as she quickly stepped to the audio console, but a frown suddenly formed on her face as she realized that her phone charger was nowhere to be found. Momo turned and saw her phone lying by itself on the ground. When she went to pick it up, there was a new text:

Dumb Dubu: I found your phone charger, dumbass. It was under a pillow on the couch

Momo sighed in defeat, bringing her hand up to her face in frustration. She had come here for nothing. _No,_ she quickly thought to herself, _This wasn’t for nothing._ Momo walked out of the room with just her phone and car keys in her hands. As she walked out of the building, a string of words played over and over again in her head.

_I couldn’t stop thinking about you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will TRY to get the next update to you guys on MONDAY still, but I may or may not push it back a couple days
> 
> btw, do you guys like the integration of choreography videos in the chapters? lmk cause I was planning to use them a lot in future chapters ^^
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter~


	4. Exposed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momo has a sudden revelation while Mina recovers at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late! Since I posted the last update early, I needed a bit more time to write this one. From now on, chapters will return to being posted every Monday ^^

The crack of a door opening on its hinges pierced through the large home. “Momo-ah!” called a voice from the living room. “Ahh?” Momo called back out as she removed her shoes at the door. She closed the door behind her as she stepped more inside, following the direction the voice came from. When she turned into the living room, Tzuyu was sitting in a black leather recliner. The time was around 3PM and the house seemed to be devoid of all physical life. “Tzuyu-ah,” Momo said as she walked into the living room, falling back onto the long couch. “Dahyun wanted me to tell you your phone charger is here. Try not to suck it up with your asscheeks though,” Tzuyu said in a plain voice as she scrolled through her phone. Momo shifted her weight to the side and saw a white cord poking out from under her. “Ohp…” she said, leaning over more to pull the cord out from under her. She quickly stood up and plugged the charger into the power strip that sat next to the couch on the floor. When she connected her phone, the screen lit up and the red sliver at the top right corner of the screen changed to gray as it filled up in its charging animation.

Momo leaned back into the couch and looked aimlessly around the room. The only sound that filled the room were the smooth ballads coming from the living room speakers, originating from Tzuyu’s phone Momo gathered. After a while, Momo sighed and spoke up. “Tzuyu-ah,” she said, her fingers fiddling with each other in her lap. Tzuyu looked up from her phone with an unamused face, but quickly softened as she saw the look on Momo’s. “Momo-unnie? You okay?” she called out, setting her phone down in her lap to look at her friend. Momo chewed the inside of her lip as she tried to gather what to say. “I saw Mina again today,” she said, looking down at her lap. Tzuyu groaned and threw her head back. “What!” she whined, “How come you get to see her two days in a row and I haven’t even met her once! So unfair, at least introduce me and Dubu sometime.” Tzuyu was expecting some sort of reaction from Momo, but frowned when she received no response. She stood up and walked over to Momo, joining her on the couch. “Okay,” she said, linking elbows with her, “What’s eating at you?” The typical cold glare that Tzuyu was known for was nowhere to be seen. Instead she looked at Momo with earnest eyes as she gave her a small smile, a single dimple appearing on her left cheek.

Momo sighed and finally gave in, leaning her head to the side to rest on Tzuyu’s shoulder before finally saying, “I went to Breakthrough today cause I thought I left my phone charger there after I taught class last night. And when I went back to the room, Mina was there. She was dancing by herself, and I swear to god I just couldn’t stop watching her. You and Dahyun weren’t kidding when you said she was gorgeous.” Tzuyu suddenly interrupted, “Ugh I know right? I wish I could’ve seen her dance in person, you’re lucky. I’ve only seen the YouTube videos.” Momo’s face scrunched in confusion, but softened in understanding as she realized that her and Tzuyu were talking about Mina being gorgeous is two different ways. She didn’t correct Tzuyu, however, and simply continued where she left off. “Well she collapsed while she was dancing cause--” she said, but was stopped again. “Oh my god is she okay?” Tzuyu questioned quickly. “Tzuyu-ah! I’m not gonna get to the end of this if you keep interrupting!” Momo whined, pushing her head into Tzuyu’s shoulder slightly. “Ahh, okay sorry, Momoring,” said Tzuyu, leaning her head to rest on top of Momo’s.

“So I carried her to the infirmary and when she woke up she started to get mad at me. She was saying all these things about how she knows the kind of person I am, and that my charm and confidence get me everywhere, and that she doesn’t want to involve herself with people like me. But like...she doesn’t even know me! And on top of that, she ends it with ‘I couldn’t stop thinking about you’! Who does that?! Say I have charm and confidence and then turn around and say something like that. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I should defend myself because how could she say things like that about someone she’s barely met, but at the same time I don’t think I should defend myself because I barely know her myself and I feel like I’m just letting a stranger into my head. I just….I don’t know, Tzuyu.”

Momo pouted as she rested her head on Tzuyu’s shoulder. The moment passed and she was expecting the girl to start giving her advice or ask questions, but she received nothing of the sort. Tzuyu’s shoulder started to bounce as she tried to hold in her laughter, her hand up to her mouth in an extra attempt to hide it. But it was too much for Tzuyu, and she let her laughs out full force. Momo rose her head and looked at Tzuyu with a look of disbelief. “Did I say something funny?” Momo asked incredulously, irritated that Tzuyu was reacting in such a way. All she wanted was her friend to comfort her, but Tzuyu could do nothing but laugh.

“I’m sorry, Momoring,” Tzuyu tried to apologize, but her laughs wouldn’t stop. Momo leaned away from Tzuyu and pushed herself against the couch, feeling even worse. When Tzuyu finally calmed down, Momo glared at her with her arms crossed over her chest. “You done?” she said coldly. Tzuyu just smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. “I’m sorry” she said, still laughing, “I just can’t believe you actually got Momo’ed.” Even after saying it out loud, Tzuyu started to laugh again. She hit her thigh as she reeled back, holding her stomach with her free arm as the laughing fit wouldn’t stop. Momo’s head tilted back as her brain attempted to register exactly what Tzuyu had said. She could’ve sworn her name was turned into a verb, but that couldn’t be right? Maybe she heard her friend wrong. “I’m sorry,” Momo said, “but I have no idea what you’re even saying now.” Tzuyu straightened herself as her hilarious episode finally began to subside. “You got Momo’ed,” she said, “And it’s hilarious.” Momo shook her head, determining that she in fact did hear Tzuyu correctly. “Okay can you please explain? You’re only making me more confused,” she grumbled.

“Me and Dubu made it up. It’s when you point out someone’s strengths and twist it to sound like they’re negative. And it’s usually done when you’re trying to push someone away,” Tzuyu explained. Momo’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her head tilted slightly as she scratched the back of her head in thought. “I don’t do that,” she said, “....do I?” Tzuyu laughed and shook her head before saying, “Momo, you’ve done that to every girl you’ve ever dated.” Momo straightened herself up and looked at Tzuyu with the same puzzled look. “I have?” she asked, genuinely uncertain. “Yes! You have!” Tzuyu reinforced, putting her hand on Momo’s shoulder. “Think about it, Momo,” said Tzuyu, “Every girl you’ve dated, besides Lisa, begged you to stay with them because you told them what was wrong with them and that those aspects about them were what brought down the relationship. When they wouldn’t leave, you broke up with them. Why do you think your relationship with Lisa hit you the hardest? Because you Momo’ed her, and when she didn’t come crawling back to you and actually broke up with you instead of the other way around, you were devastated for weeks. Lisa was the first girl that you’ve been with to actually break up with you, and it was right after you Momo’ed her.” Momo was silent for a moment as she gathered this new information several times in her head. Her mouth was open in thought as her face was pulled into a pondering expression. As much as she wanted to defend herself, the more she thought back to her past relationships, the more truth there was to Tzuyu’s words.

When she couldn’t find anything to say to save herself, Momo collapsed backwards onto the couch cushions and covered her face in embarrassment. “Why am I hearing about this just now?” she groaned, “Why are my friends so shitty!” Tzuyu slapped Momo’s leg and yelled, “Fuck you! It’s not like you give us a chance to tell you these things!” Momo removed her hands from her face and shifted her eyes down to look at Tzuyu with cold daggers. “Every time you go through a breakup, which may I add, happens at least two to three times a year, you never want to talk about it. You always say you ‘just want to move on’ and never actually talk to us about how you’re feeling. We’re your friends, Momoring, we care about you, but we don’t want to push you to talk about something if you don’t want to. Other than Lisa, you usually bounce back from breakups pretty fast so we just move on with you.”

Momo sighed and turned to lay on her side, looking away from Tzuyu. She didn’t want to believe what was being said about her. Had she really been that cold to so many people? Being on the receiving end of such an act felt worse knowing that she had done it to people before her. Perhaps Mina was right to give Momo a taste of her own medicine. As much as Momo wanted to be angry with Tzuyu, and the rest of her friends, the revelation was much needed. She still had her doubts, but there was only one way to confirm if Tzuyu’s words were completely true. Momo picked up her phone and started to type a text.

[3:21PM] Momo: Hey are you free for drinks later?

The cracking sound of a door on its hinges once again pierced through the home. The words of the middle of a conversation bouncing against the walls. “My driving is fine, you guys are freaking out for no reason,” Dahyun groaned. Sana sighed as she stepped through the door, “Safe at last, we made it Chaeyoungie.” The blond draped her arms around Chaeyoung’s shoulder as they both shared a sigh of relief. “The library is only a couple blocks from the neighborhood, I could still see where I was going,” Dahyun continued to defend herself. Sana stepped down from the landing and quickly made her way to the piano in the room. She picked up the thick lensed glasses sitting on the keys and held them out to Dahyun. “I love you, but you almost ran over a cat,” Sana said sweetly, giving Dahyun a quick peck on her cheek.

“Oooh I hear music,” Chaeyoung said as she walked towards the living room. When she turned the corner, she saw Momo laying on the couch with Tzuyu sitting next to her feet. “Finally found your charger?” Chaeyoung teased, plopping onto the recliner. Dahyun came into the room next, now wearing her glasses. “You okay, Momoring?” Sana said as she trailed behind Dahyun.They sat themselves on the floor in front of the couch and leaned back against it.

“She got Momo’ed,” Tzuyu said, a grin on her face.

The three who had just entered the room suddenly erupted into a mix of surprised sounds. They all looked at each other with smiles and widened eyes.

“I assume you know what that means now?” Chaeyoung poked fun at Momo as she sat with her legs over the arm of the recliner.

Momo turned her head to look at Chaeyoung, shifting her eyes from one pair to the next as she looked at all of her friends in the room. “I hate you guys,” she grumbled.

“So that’s a yes,” Sana said, giggling.

“I assume Mina Momo’ed you?” added Dahyun.

“You saw her again? That’s two days in a row, Momoring,” Sana said in a singsong voice.

“All of you can fuck off,” Momo said, as bitter as can be.

Dahyun reached up and patted Momo’s thigh. “Don’t be so mad, Momo,” she said, “We wanted to tell you, but you moved on so fast, and we didn’t want to bring you back down after the fact.”

Momo pouted and propped herself up on her elbow to look at Dahyun. “So then why didn’t you guys tell me after Lisa?” she asked.

“That breakup was different. You wouldn’t come out of your room for days. And when we tried to check up on you, you wouldn’t want to talk about it. We try to let you cope in your own way, cause it’s usually the fastest way,” explained Dahyun.

Sana stood up and walked to where Momo’s head was on the couch. She motioned for her to sit up so she could take her place and allow her to rest her head on her lap. When she was settled in, Sana started to run her hands through Momo’s hair. “We’re all sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, Momoring. Since coming back from tour, you’ve been doing so well after your breakup with Lisa, we didn’t feel the need to bring it up. At least you know now, right?” Sana said comfortingly.

Momo brought her hands up to hide her face again. “Ahh! No wonder mine and Lisa’s breakup felt the worst!” she groaned. Tzuyu placed her hand on Momo’s leg while Sana continued to stroke her hair. “How did it feel?” Chaeyoung spoke up, “To get Momo’ed.”

Momo turned her head to look at Chaeyoung with a glare, but her expression quickly changed to a hurt one. “It felt awful,” she admitted. “So then go apologize to her,” Chaeyoung encouraged. “How can I do that when she blocked me on everything?” Momo whined, throwing her arms up in frustration.

The rest of the group besides Dahyun erupted in another mix of surprised sounds. “Why did she block you?” Sana quickly asked. Momo sighed and gathered herself. When she was ready, she explained the entire situation just as she had explained it to Tzuyu before the rest of her roommates arrived.

“Wow, she *really* Momo’ed you,” Dahyun said. Chaeyoung started to chuckle and said, “I’ve never met this Mina girl, but I like her already. She really ripped you a new one, Momoring.” Momo groaned again and said, “Alright you guys aren’t helping. What should I do? I can’t apologize because she blocked me everywhere. And I highly doubt she’ll even let me talk to her in person if I run into her at Breakthrough again.”

A vibration on her stomach caught Momo’s attention. She picked her phone up from where it lied on her and brought the screen up to her face to read the notification.

[3:35PM] Lisa: Hey sorry for the late reply, I just finished with a podcast. I’m free now if you wanna get early drinks :smile:

Momo quickly typed a reply.

[3:35PM] Momo: Sounds good to me, I’ll meet you at your hotel then. Send me the address :thumbsup:

Momo sat up from Sana’s lap and swung her legs over Dahyun’s head. “You’re suddenly in a hurry,” Dahyun said, her inflection hinting for an answer. “I’m going out with Lisa. I’ll be back later,” Momo responded, standing up from the couch. “Well, ladies,” she said as she stood up, “Fuck you all and I’ll see you later.” Momo gave them all a cheery smile, dripping with sarcasm.

The four friends all laughed. “What kind of friends would we be if we didn’t call you out on your shit, Momoring!” Tzuyu called out as Momo began to walk away. Momo didn’t turn around. Instead she brought her hand up, and held up her middle finger as she rounded the corner.

********************************

A heavy wooden door opened. Behind it were Mina and Jeongyeon as they stepped into the home. Mina removed her shoes and walked further inside, but Jeongyeon stayed at the door. “I have to get back to the photoshoot, Nayeon probably noticed by now that I’ve been gone. Jihyo was right behind us, so she’ll be here soon to take care of you,” Jeongyeon said as she kept her hand on the door handle. Mina pouted and said, “I can take care of myself, Jeongyeon.” Jeongyeon clicked her teeth and gave Mina a glare. “Tell that to the Mina that was passed out half an hour ago,” she scolded. Mina shrunk into herself as she was scolded. She looked up at Jeongyeon with apologetic eyes and said, “Okay okay, I’m sorry.” Jeongyeon smiled and said, “Tell that to Jihyo. Alright, I gotta go. I’ll see you later, Minari.” Jeongyeon turned and left quickly, leaving Mina alone in the walkway. When the door shut, Mina let out a sigh and turned to walk towards the stairs. She made a straight line for her room, immediately crashing onto her bed. By the time she pulled out her phone, she could hear the sound of the front door opening. “Mina?” Jihyo’s voice called out. “I’m in my room!” Mina called back out. Even yelling was tiring, forcing Mina to realize just how fatigued she was. Jihyo trotted up the stairs and appeared in Mina’s doorway. “I’m gonna make some ramen, and you’re gonna eat it,” she said firmly. Mina chuckled as she looked up from her pillow. “Okay, mom,” she said smiling. Jihyo smiled back at Mina and gave her a nod before trotting back down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Mina turned her attention back to her phone. She opened her Twitter and began writing a new post.

**Hey Penguins :heart: I feel like I haven’t talked with you guys in a while, so let’s do an AMA! Remember, hashtag only! Any questions that @ me will be immediately ignored. Use #AskMinaAnything and I’ll try to reply to as many as I can :relaxed:**

Immediately following Mina tapping “Tweet,” her phone became flooded with notifications. Mina opened her notifications and rolled her eyes at all the Tweets that tagged her. She tapped onto her original post and muted the thread. She then typed the hashtag into the search box and did a quick scroll through the new posts. One at a time, she replied to each post that contained just the hashtag. As promised, she only responded to the posts that contained the hashtag alone. Most of the questions were about her hiatus. Followers would ask when she was planning on returning to ballet while others asked about her search for inspiration. The other questions were about Mina herself, asking things such as her favorite movie or what she liked to do in her free time. Mina wasn’t sure how long she had been answering questions, but at some point a voice called out to her.

“Minari,” Jihyo said. Mina’s eyes snapped up to see Jihyo standing in her doorway. “Ah!” she said, startled, “How long have you been standing there?” Jihyo laughed and said, “Long enough to call your name twice.” Mina turned over and sat up, rubbing her eyes tiredly. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” she said as she stood up, walking to the door. When she came close enough, Jihyo held her arms out and grabbed Mina by her shoulders. “You need to freshen up. You’ve been in your dance clothes since we got home. The ramen is ready, but it’s still hot. Go take a shower while it cools down,” said Jihyo in a calm voice. Mina looked at Jihyo with tired eyes as she spoke. It wasn’t until she heard it aloud that she realized Jihyo was right. She held out her phone to Jihyo and said, “I’ll be down soon.” Jihyo took Mina’s phone and gave her shoulder a firm squeeze before turning and going back down stairs.

When Mina finished her shower, she stepped down the stairs in fresh set of silk pajamas, a different penguin design than the ones she wore the night before. She walked straight into the living room where a warm bowl of ramen was waiting for her. The smell alone immediately relaxed her muscles. She smiled at the aroma as she sat down in front of it. She turned her head to look at Jihyo, who was sitting on the couch behind her, typing away at the laptop in front of her. “Thank you,” she said softly. Jihyo smiled and just said, “Eat.” Mina nodded and slowly raised the noodles to her mouth with her chopsticks. The moment the food entered her mouth, her hunger finally set in and she quickly ate more. “Easy, Minari, I can always make more,” Jihyo laughed as she saw the sudden gusto from the dancer. “I’m sorry,” Mina said, holding her hand up to cover her mouth as she spoke, “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” Jihyo picked up her laptop and set it down on the couch before standing up. “I’ll go make more then. I should probably make one for myself too while I’m at it,” she said as she walked back to the kitchen. “Ahh! Jihyo, you were supposed to go out with Daniel!” Mina said. Jihyo waved her hand dismissively as she walked, not even turning around to look at Mina. “He’s fine, we’ll go to dinner another day. I can get ahead of work this way anyway,” she said.

Mina pouted as she watched Jihyo disappear into the kitchen. She turned her attention back to her phone and picked it up, typing more answers to more questions. When she found a good place to stop, she set her phone back down and picked up the TV remote. She pointed the remote at the TV and turned it on, going through the movie channels to find a romantic movie to watch. When she finally found one, she set the remote down and continued to eat her ramen. By the time she finished the bowl in front of her, Jihyo emerged from the kitchen and set a brand new bowl down in front of Mina. “Ahh Jihyo, you’re so nice,” Mina cried. “Hush up and eat. I’m still mad at you,” Jihyo scoffed, picking up Mina’s empty bowl. Mina smiled at Jihyo and did just as she asked, picking up her chopsticks again to eat the hot meal in front of her. When Jihyo returned, she had yet another bowl of ramen, but this time it was for her. She sat down in front of the coffee table on the opposite side of Mina and started to eat. “Oooh I love this movie!” Jihyo said after her first bite.

********************************

“Momo!” called a voice. Momo turned around and smiled at the sight of the woman it came from. “Lisa!” she said happily, walking up to the long-legged woman behind her. The two women embraced in a strong hug, holding it for a moment before letting go of each other. “Are you hungry? We might as well eat dinner too,” Lisa said, linking arms with Momo as they walked inside the hotel. “Only if you let me pay for it,” Momo said confidently. Lisa rolled her eyes and nodded. “Okay but I’ll pay for drinks then,” she said.

Momo and Lisa settled themselves into the restaurant within Lisa’s hotel. They both ordered food and their first round of drinks at the same time and quickly fell into a casual conversation. They picked up where they left off the night before, filling each other in about their lives. “So how’s Rosé?” Momo said, taking a bite of her food. Lisa swooned at the mention of her name, letting her chin rest in her palms as her elbows supported her on the table. “She’s amazing,” she said, a wide smile on her face. “It must be hard,” Momo said, “Dating another member.” Lisa nodded, playing with her food slightly with the end of her fork. “It is hard, but she’s worth it. We have to be extra cautious about how we present ourselves in public now. Paparazzi is up our asses more than usual now that our relationship is public. What about you though? How goes your love life these days? If I remember correctly, there’s hardly times in the year where you’re single.” Momo suddenly hit the table and looked at Lisa with wide eyes. “About that!” she exclaimed. Lisa was shocked at first, but quickly laughed at Momo’s sudden change in mood.

“I just found out today that I do this thing to everyone I’ve ever dated. My friends call it getting “Momo’ed” and I’ve never been so mad at them,” she complained. Lisa laughed and asked, “Okay, so what does that mean?” Momo rubbed her eyes and shook her head in shame as she explained. “It means that I point out someone’s strengths and turn it into a negative thing about the relationship,” she said. Lisa burst into laughter. She brought her hand up to her mouth as she spoke. “Wow, that’s exactly what you did!” she said, still laughing, “Your friends have you down to a T.” Momo hit the table again, leaning forward as she looked at Lisa with disbelieving eyes. “Wait, I actually did that to you?!” she exclaimed. Lisa nodded, a smile on her face as she explained, “You told me that I was so attractive that my dancing could never be wrong. And that because I learned choreography so fast, I was leaving you behind when we would practice. It’s why I broke up with you.”

Momo fell back against the cushion of the booth. Her face in a state of shock as she realized what her friends said was in fact true. “I’m a piece of shit,” she said, pushing her fingers into her hair. “Well at least your friends told you right?” Lisa said, shrugging. “Why did they tell you anyway?” she asked, taking a bite of her food. Momo sighed and pushed her fingers even further into her hair. “Because I got Momo’ed today,” she whined. Lisa almost choked on her food. She quickly swallowed the contents in her mouth and looked at Momo with a wide smile. “Wait who?” she pressed. “Myoui Mina,” Momo said, pouting. “Oh my god, the famous ballerina Myoui Mina?” Lisa asked with excitement. “I didn’t even know who she was until last night,” Momo said. Lisa threw her hands in the air in disbelief. “How do you not know who Myoui Mina is! You’re a dancer, you should know who she is!” Lisa exclaimed. Momo hid her face with her hand and shook her head as she said, “Okay I’m not having this conversation again. My friends already said the same thing to me. The point is, this is what happened…”

Momo proceeded to explain her situation between her and Mina for the third time that day. When she finished, Lisa leaned back against the booth cushion and brought her finger up to her chin in thought. “Wow,” she said, “I can’t believe she Momo’ed you,” she said. Momo groaned and said, “Ahh! Not you too Lisa! Just help me out here, I don’t know what to do. I want to apologize but I can’t and if I run into her at Breakthrough again, she’s probably just going to ignore me.” Momo grabbed her head as her face scrunched in frustration. Lisa held out her hand and said, “Okay calm down. Why don’t you just make another Twitter account and apologize that way?” Momo was about to pull her own hair out, but stopped suddenly at the suggestion. “Oh my god, that’s brilliant!” she said, quickly picking up her phone.

With a couple swipes and taps, Momo followed Mina’s Twitter with her own private account. Something on the screen caught her attention, and her eyes widened. “She’s having an AMA tonight, this is perfect!” she said, looking up at Lisa. Momo’s fingers rapidly tapped against her screen. After a moment she held the phone up to Lisa and asked, “How’s that?” Lisa leaned forward, squinting her eyes as she focused on the screen. She clicked her tongue and pulled the phone out of Momo’s hands. “Your friends always told me you needed extra care,” Lisa said, as she tapped on the screen, “It’s comforting to know that some things never change but come on, Momo, at least read the original post. You almost posted this and tagged her at the same time, she would’ve ignored your post.” Lisa handed the phone back to Momo and said, “There, post that.”

_I want to ask you something that’s important to me, but I’m not comfortable talking about it in public. I know your DMs are closed, so can you DM me instead? I hope your break is going well! #AskMinaAnything_

********************************

“Mina...Mina!”

Mina suddenly opened her eyes, she was laying down on the couch. She looked up at the TV and saw credits rolling on the screen. “You fell asleep during the movie,” Jihyo said, her hand gently placed on Mina’s shoulder. Mina set up and rubbed her eyes. Jihyo moved to turn off the TV, setting the remote down on the table before saying, “Why don’t you go to your room and sleep? You’re still tired.” Mina nodded and slowly stood up. She reached down at her empty ramen bowl in front of her and picked it up while Jihyo picked up her own. Together, they walked to the kitchen and set the dirty dishes inside the sink. “Goodnight,” Mina said to Jihyo with a tired smile. “Goodnight, Minari,” Jihyo said, smiling back at her before turning on the sink to begin washing dishes.

Mina turned and walked back into the living room. She picked up her phone from the couch and looked down at the screen as she walked back upstairs. After searching for new posts with her AMA hashtag, she went through the ones she hadn’t answered yet. One by one, she answered them quickly, but a certain post piqued her interest. It was unlike any of the other posts, and Mina’s curiosity quickly overcame her. She looked at the name of the user and almost choked at the sight of the name. Never in the years that Mina had been using Twitter had she seen someone with the handle **@JokbalQueen**

Mina: Hi! I got your AMA question. What would you like to ask me? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed Momo getting destroyed by literally everyone lmfao
> 
> Thank you for reading and supporting this fic <3


	5. Opportunities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina and Momo start fresh, building a brand new friendship. Meanwhile, Jeongyeon has a surprise for Nayeon's upcoming birthday party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this chapter was suuuuuper late TT
> 
> To be QUITE HONEST with you all. I was supposed to post this yesterday, but it was Feel Special day and I HONEST TO GOD COULD NOT FOCUS. I literally sat at my computer and watched the MV on repeat and did nothing else but tweet about Feel Special. I even recorded a video of me reacting to watching the MV for the first time(which will be posted on my Twitter hopefully by the end of this week)
> 
> But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Three dots in a speech bubble appeared on Mina’s phone screen in an animation. She had expected a message to pop up quickly, but waited much longer than she thought. After about five minutes of staring at the screen, the animation was replaced by a lengthy message. 

**JokbalQueen:** I wanted to ask you if we could start over? You blocked me everywhere else so this is the only way I could hopefully get through to you. I wanted to apologize for how I treated you earlier today. It was wrong of me to be angry with you like that. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot, and I was hoping we could have a do-over and move on from this. Hi, I’m Momo and I never really got into ballet, but when I saw you dancing today, it was really beautiful. I hope we can be friends :blush:

A surprised squeal escaped Mina’s mouth as she dropped her phone onto the bed after reading the last sentence of the message. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth in shock as she looked down at the phone. She looked up at her open door and quickly stood up from her bed. She poked her head out from the door and listened closely for any signs of life in her home. The sound of running water and the clinking of dishes was a distant sound that made its way to Mina’s ears. After determining that Jihyo was still busy washing dishes, Mina let out a sigh of relief. Her signature squeals when she was surprised tended to pierce through every wall of the home, garnering concerned inquiries from her roommates. She slipped back into her room, closing the door quietly before crawling back onto her bed. She picked up her phone and read the message again. And again. And again.

A feeling of guilt and regret started to fill Mina’s being. She pouted as she remembered the harsh words she had said to Momo just hours before and mentally kicked herself for being so cruel to someone she didn’t personally know. Mina took a deep breath as she mentally prepared herself for what she was going to do. She picked up her phone and stared at the keyboard that popped up the moment she tapped the text box. With another sigh, her thumbs began to dance over the screen as she typed a reply.

**MyouiMina:** I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have been so cruel and quick to judge you when we don’t even know each other personally. You don’t have any control over what your followers say and I’m sorry I blamed what they were saying on you. I think a fresh start would be nice. Hi, I’m Mina and I’ve only done some hip-hop, but your dance videos are really cool. I hope this means that we’re friends now :smile:

After tapping “_Send_” Mina dropped her phone again. She fell back onto her bed and grabbed the nearest penguin plushie she could find, hugging it close in embarrassment. She could’ve chosen to ignore the message. She could’ve just left the message on read and be done with the whole thing. But deep down, Mina knew she didn’t want to let it go. She had stayed up for hours watching Momo’s choreography videos. Just that morning, her finger slid the video player slider back for who knows how many times. The fact was that Mina was captivated by this Hirai Momo. The world of ballet that she has known all her life was nothing like the spontaneity and rugged movements that was hip-hop. It was downright inspiring.

Mina had her eyes closed as she clutched the penguin plushie to her chest. A sudden vibration towards her feet startled her, and she perked up to quickly grab her phone. She had a plethora of notifications, but only one was given her attention.

**JokbalQueen:** You’ve done hip-hop before? You should come to one of my classes! I’ll even waive the fee for you to makeup for how rough these past 24 hours have been lol  
**MyouiMina:** Just when I was younger, before I debuted. And omg no, I don’t do well in big crowds. Plus I don’t think I’m ready for a public appearance just yet :bow:  
**JokbalQueen:** Oh that’s right, you’re on a hiatus. How’s that going by the way? My best friend tells me that you’re trying to find inspiration for dance again?  
**JokbalQueen:** Sorry was that too personal? I didn’t mean to pry  
**MyouiMina:** It’s okay, I don’t mind talking about it here. It’s just when I talk about it in public that people start theory storming and then rumors start and it’s just a mess. You know how people get lol…  
**JokbalQueen:** Oh I know it very well lol  
**MyouiMina:** Yeah I’m just trying to take some personal time to find the motivation to publicly dance again  
**JokbalQueen:** What brings you to Breakthrough anyway? You’re such a big name in the industry, you could rehearse anywhere, but you choose one of the smallest studios in the city  
**MyouiMina:** That’s because Breakthrough is where I started. It’s like home to me, so I feel the most comfortable there. The same manager that ran it when I was a kid is even still running it now haha  
**JokbalQueen:** WAIT WHAT, THAT’S EXACTLY WHY I GO TO BREAKTHROUGH FOR MY CLASSES :scream:  
**MyouiMina:** whaaaaat :flushed:

********************************

When Mina woke up the next morning, her phone was laying next to her hand. Her eyes cracked open slowly as her body gradually woke up. The sun was warm and welcoming as it came through her window in golden beams. She brought her hand up to her face to rub her eyes and turned onto her side. Picking up her phone, she opened it to find the usual mass of notifications from social media. She went through the notifications one by one, dismissing most of them with a swipe, replying to the ones she found interesting. When she opened her Twitter, she noticed that she had a single unread message in her DMs.

**JokbalQueen:** Don’t forget to unblock me when you wake up tomorrow lol

Mina chuckled and navigated through her phone, making sure to unblock Momo from both her Instagram and Twitter. She was about to go through the Instagram posts again, wanting to watch more of Momo dancing, but stopped when she heard a knock on our door. “Mina?” said a voice softly. “Ahh, I’m awake,” Mina called back out, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Before she could even stand up, the door burst open, and Nayeon ran inside. She tackled Mina back against the bed and held her in a tight embrace. “Dumb Mina!” she yelled, “You shouldn’t be dancing that much! No more dancing until at least tomorrow!” Mina groaned as Nayeon hugged her tightly, but a smile quickly made its way to her face when the force of the initial tackle subsided. “Yes, Nayeon-unnie,” Mina said like a child unenthusiastically agreeing to the command of a parent. Mina snaked her arm under Nayeon to hold the girl back with an embrace of her own. She was always one for physical affection. “You’re coming to lunch with us right?” Nayeon said, eyes closed as she held Mina. Mina nodded and said, “Yeah, in a couple hours right?” Nayeon lifted her head and looked at Mina with a look of confusion. “Mina, it’s 11, we’re leaving in an hour,” she said. Mina broke free of Nayeon’s grasp and sat up. “Ahh! I slept in too much!” she groaned as she pushed herself off her bed. Nayeon laughed and did the same, skipping out of the room. “See you downstairs, Minari,” she said cheerfully.

Mina rushed to get ready. By the time an hour passed, she was putting on the last parts of her makeup in the bathroom when she was called by a voice downstairs. “Mina! You ready?” Jihyo’s voice was loud as it bounced against the walls. “Yes! Coming!” Mina called back as she quickly applied lipstick. Mina hurried out of the bathroom and stopped by her room to pick up her purse before stepping down the stairs. All three of her friends were waiting for her at the front door. When she finally joined them, Nayeon was the first to greet Mina, immediately linking arms with her. “You need to take better care of yourself, Minari,” scolded Nayeon, leaning her head to rest on Mina’s shoulder. “Okay who’s driving?” Jihyo said, clapping her hands together.

“Jihyo,” Jeongyeon said.  
“Jeongyeon,” Jihyo said.  
“Jeongeyon,” Nayeon said.  
“Jeongyeon,” Mina said.

Jeongyeon glared at the women in front of her. Begrudgingly, she reached up and pulled her set of keys off of her hook and pulled the front door open dramatically. “Bunch of lazy…” she grumbled as she walked out the door. The three women laughed, but Nayeon spoke up soon after, “Your car has the comfiest seats!” Jeongyeon looked over her shoulder to glare at Nayeon as she said, “Yeah and who was the one that wanted me to get a comfy car for long drives, Ms. Im?” Nayeon just smiled proudly and said, “You’re welcome ladies.” The four women piled into Jeongyeon’s car, sitting comfortably in their own personal seats. It was an SUV and every seat was individual with cup holders and arm rests, all separated by a small aisle between each of them.

It took about twenty minutes of driving into the city for the four women to make it to their destination. They were seated at the restaurant fairly quickly and wasted no time in falling into a conversation. “So how did your photoshoot go yesterday, Nayeon?” Mina asked after they all finished giving their orders to the waiter. Nayeon perked up at the mention of the photoshoot and excitedly began to speak. “It was so good! It took a lot longer than what I’m used to because the photographer was very particular about the visuals, but after taking some shots and reviewing them with her, I was really satisfied with her work. She was recommended by the same company that used to do your photoshoots when you worked for the opera house, Mina,” explained Nayeon. “She loved her so much, she gave her her number,” Jeongyeon teased, “Meanwhile I had to work for months to get that from her.” Jihyo playfully pushed Nayeon’s shoulder and said, “Nayeon!” Nayeon shrugged and took of her water nonchalantly. “What? It’s a business contact,” she said casually. “With your personal number though?” Mina asked, somewhat concerned. Nayeon didn’t back down from her stance. “Wait until you guys see the photos, her work is seriously good. She’s even four years younger than me, and she’s more talented than the more experienced, older photographers I’ve worked with, ” she said. “What’s her name?” Jihyo asked. “Chou Tzuyu,” Nayeon replied.

********************************

In the Breakthrough dance studio, the sound of a ballad could be heard from outside the closed door of one of the smaller practice rooms. Two women could be seen dancing with each other in what seemed to be a couple’s dance. The darker haired woman stopped suddenly, running over to the audio console to pause the song. “What if instead of the twirl here, it’s a dip instead? And the male will…” Momo suggested to Lisa, demonstrating her idea. “And then maybe they spin away from each other instead and then they…” added Lisa, demonstrating her own idea back at Momo. “Yes! That’s perfect. Okay, so from….here,” Momo said, moving the song back about thirty seconds and pressing play before joining Lisa again. The two fell back into the steps of their new choreography and implemented their brand new ideas, executing the moves as if they were a part of the original choreography. When they performed what they had so far, they separated and smiled at each other.

Momo walked back to the audio console and hit pause on the music player. “Thank you so much for helping me with this, by the way,” Momo said gratefully as she walked over to her bag against the wall. She leaned down and picked up her water bottle, taking a hearty sip while Lisa said, “What was I gonna do? Say no?” Lisa and Momo both laughed. A ping sounded through the speakers and Momo turned her head towards her phone. “Ahh, I thought I put my phone on silent,” she said, walking back to the audio console. Momo picked up her phone and was about to mute her notifications, but the first couple words that displayed for the notification she just received caught her attention.

Lisa was sitting in the middle of the room, cross legged as she waited for Momo to return so they could keep rehearsing. She turned around after an awkward silence filled the room and her eyes found Momo just staring at her phone. The expression on her face was nothing short of shocked. “You wanna share with the class, Ms. Hirai?” Lisa teased. Momo looked up from her phone and had a look of apology on her face. “What is it now?” Lisa said, rolling her eyes. “Change of plans,” Momo said as she tapped through her phone, “Can you help me with a new choreography?” Lisa was taken aback. Her eyebrows rose in consideration as she said, “I’m not opposed, but what’s with the sudden need?” Momo brought her hand up to sneak under her bangs to rub her forehead. “I just got an email for a gig. They want a group dance for a popular song medley in three weeks. Apparently it’s for a famous model’s birthday party,” she said as she continued to read the email on her phone. Lisa’s eyes widened as she whistled. “Well what’re you staring at your phone for, let’s get to work!” Lisa excitedly said, jumping onto her feet. Momo scratched the top of her head as her thumb scrolled through her music library. “I don’t even know what songs to do! I have to ask my producer to make a medley in the first place, not to mention hire dancers and schedule rehearsals,” Momo rambled, eyes darting around. She would’ve continued, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Lisa’s soft face giving her a comforting look. “How about we just dance? Just put on some music and I’ll record us with my phone while we do some freestyle. You can watch it at home and come up with an actual choreo tomorrow. And I’ll be here to help you,” said Lisa, giving Momo’s shoulder a caring squeeze. Momo looked at Lisa’s determined eyes and quickly nodded. While she set up a quick playlist of about ten of the most recently popular songs, Lisa propped her phone onto a chair and faced it towards them. When the music started, both Momo and Lisa started dancing on their own. They moved at their own paces, with their own steps, and simply danced in the same space next to each other, letting their imaginations take over their bodies.

********************************

When Momo finally returned home, night had already fallen upon the city. When she pushed through the front door, she was greeted by a high pitched voice. “Momoring!” Sana yelled from the upstairs railing. Momo tilted her head up to look up at Sana, giving her tired waves with her small hands. “Satang!” she yelled back, though not as loud as Sana. “Thank god you’re home, I was going to die of boredom without you,” said Sana as she quickly stepped down the stairs and embraced Momo into a warm hug. “Wait, I didn’t see anyone’s cars missing in the front?” said Momo, confused. “They’re all _working_,” Sana whined, resting her head on Momo’s shoulder. Momo laughed and walked with Sana more into the home. They walked together to the second living room of the home, which was turned into an office/work space.

In one corner was a colorful mess of paints and various other art supplies. Sitting behind an easel was Chaeyoung, bobbing her head to the music that played through the headphones she was wearing while her brush occasionally dipped into her paints and stroked against the canvas. In another corner was an electronic piano, wiggling furiously on its stand as Dahyun’s fingers danced across the keys. She was also wearing a pair of headphones, and would occasionally press a couple buttons on the piano, changing the instrument that would sound in her ears. In front of her on the music stand attached to the piano were loose sheets of music, covered in her signature chicken scratch she called music notes. Lastly, in the third corner was a large desk, fit with a complete computer setup with three display monitors. Illuminated by the glow of the work station was Tzuyu, who also had a pair of headphones on her head. One of the monitors displayed a gallery of photos, a single model being the focus of them all. The other monitor displayed a photo editing software, where Tzuyu would click furiously as she edited each individual photo. The third monitor displayed just text alone. Given the format at a glance, Momo assumed it was Tzuyu’s business email. 

“Wow,” Momo said as she saw all three of the younger housemates in their own little worlds, “You weren’t kidding.” Sana jumped in place impatiently like a child as she wiggled Momo’s wrist in her grasp. “See!” Sana whined, “They’re so boring!” Momo laughed and turned to let the three work in peace, Sana following right behind her. “Don’t you have a video you need to work on, Sana?” Momo teased, trying to give Sana something to do. Sana pouted and shook her head before saying, “I already filmed the content I need for this week’s video, I just need to edit it. But I can’t if Tzuyu is using the computer. She got a big job suddenly so she’s been working extra hard since she got the offer.” Momo’s eyebrows raised in intrigue. “What’s the job?” she asked as they walked up the stairs. “You know that photoshoot she had yesterday? Well that same model wants her to do the photography for her birthday party in three weeks,” Sana explained as she followed Momo to her room. Momo hadn’t even dropped her tote bag onto the floor yet when she realized quickly who Sana was referring to. “Wait a second,” Momo said as she hurriedly pulled out her phone from her bag. She navigated to her email and read over it quickly before doing a quick google search of the name of the model.

“This model?” Momo asked as she turned her phone to show Sana. Sana instantly recognized the photo and nodded as she pointed at the photo. “Yeah that’s her!” she said. Momo trusted Sana’s words, but Momo had to confirm this with Tzuyu herself. It always took her at least more than one person telling her something for her to believe it to be true. She walked passed Sana back down the stairs again, heading back into the second living room with the three busy bees working inside. “Tzuyu-ah!” Momo called out as she entered the room. The sudden call alerted not only Tzuyu, but the other two in the room as well. Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, and Dahyun all removed their headphones and turned in their chairs to look at Momo at the entrance of the room with Sana standing behind her. “Oh! Welcome home, Momoring,” Chaeyoung said, waving cheerfully at Momo. “How was dancing with Lisa? Did you get a lot of choreography done?” Dahyun asked with a smile. “Yeah about that…” Momo said as she walked up to Tzuyu, holding her phone up to compare it with the photo gallery on one of the screens. “It really is the same girl!” Momo said in disbelief.

“I’m so confused…” Tzuyu said, looking up at Momo and Sana with a look of cold judgement. “I got an email earlier today asking to choreograph a medley for a model’s birthday, and it’s the same model you’re working with right now!” Momo explained, holding her phone out to show Tzuyu her email. Tzuyu reached out and took Momo’s phone, reading over the email carefully. Sure enough, the email sender was the same as the one who contacted Tzuyu herself. The look on Tzuyu’s face confirmed it for everyone else in the room. “Woah! You guys get to finally work together!” Chaeyoung said excitedly. Momo suddenly embraced Tzuyu in a hug and said, “I’m so excited I finally get to work with you, Tzuyu!” Tzuyu returned the hug with a wide smile and said, “Finally!” A silent moment quickly passed and Dahyun spoke up, “Okay but lowkey, if you guys get extra tickets to the event, you’re giving them to us right?”

********************************

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Jeongyeon said triumphantly as she looked at her phone. “What’s up, babe?” Nayeon said as she emerged from the kitchen, holding the end of a jelly roll as she chewed the other end in her mouth. “The photographer and the choreographer you wanted just accepted the job!” said Jeongyeon, throwing her hands in the air in excitement. Nayeon’s eyes widened and she immediately jumped towards Jeongyeon. Jeongyeon reacted quickly, wrapping her arms around Nayeon, keeping her lifted off the floor with her firm hold. Nayeon quickly finished the portion of jelly that was in her mouth, holding the rest of the roll away from Jeongyeon so it would get in the woman’s hair. “Have I mentioned that you’re the best agent ever?” Nayeon said as she looked down at Jeongyeon with a smile. Jeongyeon smiled back up at Nayeon and said with a grin, “You can mention it more.” Nayeon rolled her eyes and said, “Nope, it’s already inflating your ego.” Jeongyeon laughed and replied, “Please, you have enough ego for us both.” Nayeon clicked her teeth and pouted cutely. “Yeah, but you love me anyway,” she said. Jeongyeon smiled and said, “Yeah, I really do.” Jeongeyeon’s grip loosened on Nayeon’s waist as she lowered her back down to the floor. When her toes touch the floor, she kept them pointed to hold herself up as she gave Jeongyeon a sweet kiss. “Thank you, babe, seriously,” she said. Jeongyeon smiled and leaned forward to give Nayeon another kiss before saying, “Anything for my favorite bunny.”

Meanwhile upstairs, Mina was laying down on her bed, listening to music and scrolling through her social media. A ping sounded in her ears and a new notification appeared on her screen. A small smile made its way to her face as she saw who the notification came from. Opening Twitter, she went straight to her DMs and smiled at the sight of a new message from a one **@JokbalQueen**

**JokbalQueen:** Sorry I haven’t said anything all day! I was at the studio and then suddenly got offered a big job. I’m gonna be slammed for the next three weeks :weary:  
**MyouiMina:** If I was better at hip-hop, I’d offer to help you, but I don’t think I’d be much help as I am right now  
**JokbalQueen:** Honestly, just talking with you helps. Even now, I was dancing all day and I’m super tired, but talking with you is relaxing :smile:  
**MyouiMina:** Just don’t overwork yourself like me lol :sweat_smile:  
**JokbalQueen:** If I do, you’ll just have to be the one that carries me to the infirmary this time LOL  
**MyouiMina:** I think I’ll just leave you on the floor and get help instead… :grimacing:  
**JokbalQueen:** Minaaaa :sob: :sob: :sob:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry there wasn't as much MiMo interaction in this chapter as others, buttttt.....Are y'all ready for the two groups to merge and finally meet? :^)
> 
> Because of a change in my work schedule, this fic will now be updated every TUESDAY instead of MONDAY
> 
> Thank you for reading and supporting #BreakthroughTwiceAU <3


	6. Trick It [ficlet]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dahyun and Sana celebrate their anniversary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry there is no chapter for this week. In the meantime, enjoy this Saida ficlet!

A crescent moon of musicians with their instruments sat in front of an ash blue-haired conductor. Dahyun’s pure white baton kept the tempo of the music while it flowed gracefully through the air. They were nearing the last note and Dahyun’s eyes snapped up from her sheet music in front of her to look at her musicians as she guided them through the last measure. The song ended in a harmonious chord which lasted for a full whole note. Dahyun’s hand rose with her fingers spread before quickly snapping shut into a fist in a circle motion, signalling the musicians to end at the same time. There was a silence in the room after the last chord and Dahyun let out a long breath. Her serious face shifted to a happy one as she gave her orchestra a big smile.

“Perfect,” she said cheerfully, clapping her hands together, “This is our last rehearsal before moving into the space for dress rehearsals. I will see you all for load and first dress next Friday.” Dahyun gave a polite bow and formally thanked her musicians, and they did the same to her. Right as she closed her score book, her phone started buzzing in her purse. Dahyun reached down and fished her phone out, smiling as she saw a message on the screen.

[3:01PM] Wifey: Can’t wait to see you for dinner later :heart_eyes: We’re still on for 5 right?  
[3:01PM] Pabo: Of course! Just finished up with rehearsal. Fanmeet still going?  
[3:02PM] Wifey: They never stop coming :weary:  
[3:02PM] Pabo: I mean you don’t either so…?  
[3:02PM] Wifey: PABO. DAHYUNNIEPABO  
[3:03PM] Pabo: kekeke I’ll see you at dinner :kissing_heart:

Dahyun was still sitting in her stool, but a majority of the musicians had already cleared out of the room. After a three hour rehearsal, everyone was eager to rest before the first dress. Dahyun pulled up a contact on her phone and tapped the screen once before bringing the phone up to her ear.

“Momoring,” she said in a sing-song voice, “My package came in today right?”

Momo was eating snacks on the couch as she spoke into the phone lying on her cheek. “Ahh? I’ve been home all day and I didn’t hear the door,” she said, sitting up, forgetting the phone was on her face. A series of thumps and bumps could be heard from her end of the call and she pulled her phone away from her face to quickly peek at the screen. “Momo?” she said into the phone, “You there?”

Momo hurriedly reached down and picked up the phone, grimacing as she did so. She quickly brought the phone back up to her ear and said, “Sorry, I dropped my phone. Let me check the door, maybe I’m just dumb.” Momo stood up from the couch and jogged through the house to the front door.

“Dahyun,” she said.

“Mm?” Dahyun replied.

“There’s nothing here,” Momo said, closing the door, “Are you sure something was supposed to come today? Track your package, maybe it’s not here yet.”

“Stay on the phone,” Dahyun said, pulling her phone away from her face. She navigated through her phone to her email and flicked her thumb upwards, scrolling through the hundreds and hundreds of unread emails. She finally found an email from the company she was searching for and her heart sank at the title of the email: “Payment declined: Please change method in order to ship….”

“Dahyun-ah?” Momo called on the other side of the line.

Dahyun slowly brought her hand up to smack her forehead before bringing her phone back to her ear. “I’m so fucking stupid. I completely missed the email saying my payment was declined. I forgot my old card expired…” she said, devoid of all tone and emotion.

“What’s the big deal? Just change your payment method and get it in a couple weeks?” Momo said, returning to the couch to finish her snack.

“Momo,” Dahyun said, plain.

“Mm?” Momo responded, chewing.

“What’s today?” Dahyun said, plain again.

Momo’s eyebrows furrowed as she became confused. It took a minute, but when she finally realized what day it was, her eyebrows widened and she said angrily, “Dahyun!”

“I know!” Dahyun said, aggressively scratching the back of her head in frustration.

“Well, you have two hours until dinner,” Momo said, “Fighting, Dahyunnie!”

Dahyun finally hung up the phone and quickly gathered her things. As she hurried out of the building with her backpack sliding off the one shoulder she had it strapped to, she frantically tapped against her phone screen, looking up every single jewelry store within half an hour of her location.

When Dahyun reached the first store, she almost crashed into the first glass case. She pushed off the sturdy glass and hurriedly found the main register to speak with an associate. “Hi,” she said, completely flustered, “Do you have this in stock? Or at least something similar?” Dahyun pulled out her phone and showed the associate a product page. The man squinted as he looked closer at the screen, but he quickly pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but someone just came in here before you and picked up our last one,” he said. Dahyun sighed in frustration and hung her head in defeat, groaning. “We do have something like it, though it’s a little more expensive,” said the associate in an optimistic tone. Dahyun’s head snapped back up, eyes determined. “Show me” she said firmly. The associate smiled and held out his hand to the side, signalling her to follow him down to the other end of the glass case separating them. Dahyun walked with the associate and looked down at the item he pointed to. “That one right there. Similar style, just a different brand,” he said.

A smile made its way to Dahyun’s face as she noticed the style was practically identical. She looked up at the associate and asked, “How much?” The associate had a polite smile on his face as he said, “Five thousand.” Dahyun’s eyes widened as she heard the price. It was one more zero than she was willing to spend. She kept calm, however, and just smiled and nodded before saying, “Wowww expensiveee.”

Dahyun politely declined the suggestion of the associate and left the store to visit several more stores. To her distraught, she was met with the same answer when she arrived. She was getting tired of hearing the words “Out of stock,” and was starting to lose hope of finding the item she was searching for. Dahyun stepped out for what felt like the hundreth store she visited so far when a vibration tickled her back. She removed one strap from her shoulders and pulled her phone out of her backpack.

[4:35PM] Wifey: Hey, I thought we were driving together for dinner? Where are you?

Panic instantly filled Dahyun’s body. Her heartbeat heavily in her chest as her neck and face grew heated from anxiety. She quickly typed back a response.

[4:36PM] Pabo: I’m sorry babe, I got caught up with some things for the show. I’ll meet you there, I promise :heart:  
[4:36PM] Wifey: Okayyy just don’t be late pabo :kissing_heart:

Dahyun dropped her arms to her sides. She didn’t want to lie to Sana, but she didn’t want to upset her either. Just as she was about to scream, another vibration shook her palm. She brought her phone up to see an animated phone wiggling on her screen.

“Momo! I’ve checked every store in this city, no one has it!” she whined.

“I sent you an address earlier but you never responded so I’m calling now to make sure you don’t fuck up twice today,” Momo said on the other side of the line, “If you hurry up you might make it to dinner on time!”

Dahyun immediately looked through the messages on her phone, eyes widening as she read the last message she received from Momo about an hour ago. “Momoring!” Dahyun cried into the phone.

“Shut up and go already!” Momo yelled before hanging up the call.

Dahyun broke into a sprint towards her car and sped off into the busy city street. It took about ten minutes to arrive at her destination. When she arrived, she parked right in front of the building, and was met with numerous employees wearing uniform vests. “Miss, you can’t park here unless you plan to use the valet service,” said one of them. Dahyun’s panic was only getting worse as she looked back and forth from her car to the front door of the hotel. “Ahh…” she said, too frantic to come up with an excuse. Suddenly, a voice called out from behind the valet. “It’s okay, she’s just picking up something from me,” the voice said.

Dahyun leaned to the side and saw a taller woman with straight bangs. Her hair was orange/blond and she was wearing her own formal black dress. Her big eyes and plump lips were both smiling sweetly at Dahyun. If she were in any other situation, Dahyun would’ve asked for an autograph or a picture, but the time on the clock was looming over Dahyun like a heavy rain cloud. “Momo said you needed this,” Lisa said, holding out a felt-covered rectangular box. Dahyun looked down at the box in Lisa’s palm and reached out to take it, but stopped herself. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to have this?” she timidly asked. Lisa enthusiastically nodded and took a step forward, holding the box out to Dahyun more. “Of course! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. A fan gave this to me earlier today, but it doesn’t feel right taking something so sentimental from a stranger. Momo told me your situation and…” Lisa said, but trailed off as she brought her wrist up to look at her wristwatch. “Isn’t your dinner in five minutes?” she said. Dahyun’s eyes widened and she took the box from Lisa before quickly giving her a low bow and saying “Thank you,” in a sincere, but hurried fashion. Dahyun immediately turned and ran back to her car. “Good luck!” Lisa called out as Dahyun slipped inside.

It took ten minutes to arrive at the restaurant. While she was parked, Dahyun attempted to fix herself to be at least somewhat presentable for the status of the restaurant. Luckily for her, she had a single dress shirt that was left in her car from the last show she was a part of. With the help of some makeup and perfume, she was marginally presentable. She wished she could change out of her jeans and into a skirt, but the past two hours of chaos didn’t allow for such a luxury. By the time Dahyun walked through the front doors of the restaurant, it was 5:12PM and a familiar head of blond hair caught her attention. Despite how panicked Dahyun was, the sight of Sana was more than enough to ease her tense body. She was wearing a black halter dress that was pleated both on the torso and the skirt. Separating the sections was a metal band while a pair of decadently pearled earrings framed her face [perfectly.](https://i.redd.it/lf1jdea515721.jpg)

Dahyun rushed to the table, and before she could say anything Sana spoke. “I told you not to be late, Dahyunniepabo!” she pouted. Dahyun frowned and said, “I know I’m sorry.” Dahyun sat down and opened her mouth to say something, but once again Sana spoke up first. “Wait! Before anything else, I have something for you,” she said, pulling out a rectangular, felt-covered box. Dahyun looked down at the box, then back up at Sana. A smile pulled at her lips as she reached out to take it in her hands. Sana continued to speak as Dahyun took the box. She said, “I’ve been wanting to get you this for months, but it’s been sold out everywhere. I went out on a whim to try to find it in a store, and by some miracle, I bought the last one!” If Dahyun wasn’t supposed to be shocked/happy in this moment, she would’ve fell over in ironic frustration. When she opened the box, Dahyun couldn’t help but smile, followed by a laugh. Sana cocked her head to the side in confusion. “What’s so funny? You don’t like it?” she asked, a look of concern on her face. Dahyun just looked at Sana with a wide smile and shook her head. “I love it,” she reassured her. “Then why are you laughing?” Sana pouted. Dahyun reached into her purse and pulled out the exact same rectangular, felt-covered box and placed it on the table in front of Sana. “Because,” she said smiling, “I also got you something.”

Sana quickly caught onto the reality of the situation. She looked down at the box, then up at Dahyun, smiling as she opened it. Together they set the boxes side by side, revealing the exact same silver necklace. The necklace was made out of sterling silver. The chain consisted of small silver links while a circle [pendant](https://www.tiffany.com/jewelry/necklaces-pendants/palomas-melody-circle-pendant-63519006/) hung from its center. Both Dahyun and Sana looked at each other with incredulous looks as they laughed, holding each others’ hands tightly. Dahyun moved her chair to sit next to Sana as they both attached their necklaces onto each other’s necks. When Dahyun finished clasping the necklace around Sana’s neck, she wrapped her arms around the woman, holding her from behind.

Sana reached up and lightly touched Dahyun’s cheeks. Dahyun leaned forward and closed her eyes. Sana closed the gap and pressed her lips into Dahyun’s, closing her own eyes as they shared a single, tender kiss.

**_Happy Anniversary_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have plans for a full Saida fic after Breakthrough finishes, so let me know what you think of this ficlet ^^
> 
> Breakthrough will resume next Monday with a full update~
> 
> I hope you enjoyed these crumbs <3


	7. Affinity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina receives an unexpected visitor after her morning of dancing, and she realizes she's more connected with Hirai Momo than she thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all wanted some soft MiMo, so y'all get some soft MiMo <3

The ambient sounds of a peaceful riverbank could be heard bouncing off the four walls of a bedroom. Soft brown eyes could be seen peeking through pale eyelids as the sounds of birds chirping and water running eased her out of the dream world. Mina’s eyes opened with ease and the initial grogginess that came with waking up quickly disappeared. She pushed herself to sit up and pushed her arms high above her head while her face scrunched as her muscles stretched. She turned her head to look at her phone, an image of a clock shook on the screen while the time 7:00AM was displayed in large text. A content smile found its way to Mina’s face before dismissing the alarm, bringing silence back to her room. She picked up her phone and immediately opened her Twitter.

**MyouiMina:** Good morning! :blush:

Mina didn’t wait for a response. If the past week had been any indicator for her current relationship with Hirai Momo, she knew she was going to get one eventually. Ever since Momo initially reached out to her and they both apologized to each other, the direct messages hadn’t stopped. Everyday, without fail, they would have at least one conversation. That is, up until two days ago when their conversations became more sparse. Mina was expecting the change, however, as Momo had mentioned at the beginning of the week that she would be busy for the next three weeks with a big job. _I wonder how that’s going…?_ Mina thought to herself.

By the time Mina was done getting ready, the clock read 7:30AM. _Perfect,_ Mina thought, another content smile on her face. As fun as it was to stay up late and send messages back and forth with her new, unexpected friend, Mina quickly realized that pushing off sleep until 3AM wasn’t exactly the most healthy choice. Once Momo became busy with her own work, it gave Mina an excuse to try and make better habits for herself, starting with sleeping earlier. On the first day, waking up was agony. The exhaustion from the lack of sleep alone was enough to turn her into a couch potato for the rest of the day. Now that it was her third time waking up at such an hour, Mina felt downright rejuvenated from her full night of rest. She felt so energized, there was no hesitation in deciding what to do for her day.

Mina was stepping out the door when a brief vibration tingled in her yoga pants pocket. She held her phone in one hand while she locked the front door with the other. As she walked to her car in the driveway, a small smile pulled at her lips as she read a message on her screen.

**JokbalQueen:** You have the chance to sleep in at this hour and you’re not? Trade places with me pls…  
**MyouiMina:** Does the great Hirai Momo finally have a weakness? :eyes:  
**JokbalQueen:** You must still be dreaming at this ungodly early hour too if you think I don’t have any weaknesses  
**JokbalQueen:** btw did you just call me great? I’m honored, Myoui Mina :wink:  
**MyouiMina:** Oh please, it’s not even that early. It’s only 8  
**JokbalQueen:** Do you know what time I wake up everyday?  
**MyouiMina:** Around 11?  
**JokbalQueen:** Okay woah there stalker  
**MyouiMina:** Momo we talk everyday and Twitter has timestamps…  
**JokbalQueen:** ….stalker

Mina giggled as she sat in her car. As much as she didn’t like leaving Momo’s messages on read, the time on her dashboard’s clock was pushing her to finally pull out of the driveway. When Mina arrived at Breakthrough Dance Studio, the time was 8:30AM. The time she had spent messaging Momo back and forth combined with the rough, traffic-filled commute through the city managed to eat up half an hour of her time. To make up for it, she decided to stay at the studio just a little longer. When she walked through the front doors, she was greeted by a friendly smile that belonged to a familiar face. “Good morning, Mina!” Na Yeon said happily before holding her hand out to the side, “Saved a small room for you this morning. Use it as long as you’d like.” Mina smiled wide, her gums clearly showing. She gave Na Yeon a formal bow and said “Thank you!” before skipping into a brisk stride down the hall. The last room at the end of the hall was welcoming with the sight of its open door. As soon as Mina stepped inside, she closed the door behind her and started stretching at least her arms on the way to the audio console. She quickly set up the audio to play a ten hour long playlist of classical music and set her phone down to stretch the rest of her body. Her warmup continued as she strapped into her pointe shoes, assuming her position in the middle of the room. Mina’s muscles contracted, about to start her dance, but she immediately stopped herself and trotted back to her phone. “Almost forgot to set an alarm,” she whispered to herself.

********************************

“Momo,” a voice shouted over loud music. Hirai Momo was sitting against the wall of mirrors in the biggest rehearsal room of Breakthrough Dance Studio. She looked incredibly cozy as she wore her baggy sweater and sweatpants combo, both the same dark gray color. The hood was pulled up over her head, but her long, wavy black locks still fell down her torso. A pair of heavy black boots covered her feet. She was staring at the phone in her hand, constantly swiping up on the screen to somehow refresh her messages. The last message that was sent was her own, and it already had a blue checkmark under it. “Momo!” a voice shouted again. Momo shook her head slightly as the voice pulled her out of her daze. She looked up to see one of her dancers standing with her fists on her hips. It was only 8:30AM, yet there was already a thin layer of sweat and panting all around from the people in the room. “This part feels awkward, can you show us the steps again?” the dancer said. Momo quickly set her phone down on the wooden floor and nodded, pushing herself up to stand. She jogged to the audio console in the corner of the room and paused the music. Taking her place at the front of the group, she faced the mirror, looking at all the pair of eyes looking right back at her. “Just remember for this part to switch your weight from your left to right, not right to left, and then…” Momo said before marking through the steps at a slower pace. “Make sense?” she said, turning to face her dancers. They all nodded. “Okay, let’s take it from the spin. Five, six, seven, eight!”

********************************

The tips of Mina’s pointe shoes fell onto the wooden dance floor with noticeable thuds, yet the only thing she could hear was the symphony coming through the speakers. Mina had spun into a corner of the room and performed some ad libbed arm movements before striding into a series of spins and jumps. As she reached the middle of the room, the harmonious music was cut so severely by the sounds of a river babbling and birds chirping, yet Mina continued her diagonal series across the room. The music was long replaced with the sounds of her alarm by the time she reached the end, but she had zero intention of stopping in mid-count. As soon as she finished, she turned and jogged to the audio console to promptly dismiss her alarm on her phone screen. The classical music cut back in as harshly as it cut out early, earning a face scrunch from the ballerina. She immediately paused the music, enveloping the room into silence.

Mina navigated through her phone, hurrying to her Twitter DM’s to check if she received a new message while she was dancing. It had been three hours since she last heard from Momo, and a part of her wished that Momo still desired to send her a message despite having left her message without a reply. A frown appeared on Mina’s face as she saw the only new messages she received were from everyone except the one person she wanted. She opened her conversation with Momo before her thumbs rapidly tapped against the screen as she typed a message.

**MyouiMina:** Sorry for not replying, I was dancing :blush:

Mina disconnected her phone from the audio console and walked back to her tote bag against the wall. She sat down next to it and started to stretch any muscles she could as she unstrapped her pointe shoes from her feet. She set her phone down next to her and continued to stretch. It didn’t take long for her phone to vibrate with what she assumed was Momo’s reply, but she kept on stretching. She wasn’t sure if the room was already booked after she told Sadness Manager when she’d be done, so she didn’t want to be a burden on anyone by staying in the room longer than she intended. As soon as she finished her post-dance stretches, she gathered her things and stood up, checking her phone immediately. What she saw on the screen, however, stopped her in her tracks. Momo had sent Mina a photo, specifically a selfie. Momo’s face was only in the corner of the imagine, with her two fingers in what looked like the end of a peace hand sign. What shocked her wasn’t the sight of Momo, but rather what she was posing with. Taking up most of the screen was a small window embedded into a door. On the other side of the window was in fact, Mina herself, legs outstretched to her sides in a split as she leaned forward. Mina’s eyes shot up from her phone, landing directly on the door. Behind the clear glass was none other than Hirai Momo.

Momo had a cheery smile on her face as she looked at Mina. Her small hand was by her face as she swiftly waved it back and forth. Perhaps Mina was imagining it, but it looked as if Momo was giggling. It was almost child-like, and Mina couldn’t help but laugh. Her gummy smile was hidden behind her hand as she walked towards the door, pulling it open to greet the other dancer at last. She held her phone screen out to Momo, showing the image that was now a part of their private messages. “Who’s the stalker now?” Mina said laughing. Momo laughed and replied, “I just finished rehearsal and I heard the classical music down the hall. I couldn’t help it, I had to check if it was you.” Mina wasn’t sure why, but Momo’s words and her desire to see her, even for just a moment, warmed her heart. She enjoyed Momo’s company in the privacy of their direct messages, but being physically in front of her felt even better. After all, the last time they had been in the same room, there was nothing but hostility between them. Mina preferred this happy, warm atmosphere much more.

“When you said you were having your first rehearsal today, I didn’t know it would be at 8AM,” Mina giggled as she couldn’t help but notice how comfy Momo looked in her outfit. “How was it?” Mina asked. “It went well, actually. Well, well enough for 8AM. It was the only time my dancers are all available. I still want to go back to bed,” Momo said with a sigh, closing her eyes in a dreamlike manner. A group of people began to walk down the hall towards Mina and Momo. It looked to be a class that had been waiting for the room Mina was using. As the group came closer, Mina stepped to the side, pushing herself against the corner of the end of the hallway. Momo turned around and quickly understood the situation, following Mina’s lead in stepping away to make room for the group of people. It was only natural to move out of the way of an open door. The Breakthrough Dance Studio is and has always been a small establishment, both in the number of people involved as well as building size. The hallways were thin, which didn’t accommodate for groups of people larger than two. Momo found herself stepping forward as the group filed into the room next to them. When Momo turned back to look at Mina, she instantly bit her tongue as she suddenly lost any words she was about to say.

Mina was looking down, hands clutched tight against the tote bag strap that hung from her shoulder. Her lips were pulled into her mouth as her teeth clamped down on them from the inside. The entirety of her body was stiff, as if she was trying to blend in with the wall, trying her damndest to turn into a wallflower. That was the first thing Momo noticed. The other was the fact that she was standing a little close to Mina. She had stepped away to make room for the class to enter the rehearsal space, but wasn’t looking at how far she stepped, and somehow ended up in Mina’s personal bubble. She was so close, that if Momo were to sneeze, there was a good chance her forehead would bump into Mina’s. Momo tried to look at Mina, but the ballerina’s eyes were focused on the tips of her shoes. Instead, she looked up, and silently waited for the hallway to finally clear.

As the last few of the dancers shuffled into the room, Momo took a step back, giving Mina space that she desperately looked like she wanted. “Hey,” Momo said, her voice soft with genuine concern, “You okay?” Mina looked up from her feet and flashed Momo a small smile. “Yeah,” she said, laughing nervously to try to shrug it off, “I just don’t like big crowds that’s all.” Momo half chuckled and cocked her head to the side as she said in an incredulous tone, “But you’re a famous dancer, you’ve danced in front of crowds the size of this building before.” Mina pursed her lips into a straight line and looked down at the floor. “Yeah, it doesn’t make a lot of sense does it?” she said in a sad voice. Momo instantly held her breath. She knew she crossed some line, and she searched desperately in her mind for something she can change the subject to. “Well…” Momo said, uneasy, “Why don’t we go somewhere without a crowd then?” With every word that came from Momo’s mouth, she was more and more unsure of where she was trying to drive the conversation to. All she knew was that she couldn’t stand to see that sad look on Mina’s face. She was so bright moments before before the group came through the hall, she just wanted to see that gummy smile again.

“Go somewhere?” Mina asked curiously, finally taking her eyes off the floor to look at Momo again. Momo perked up at the sight of those brown eyes looking at her. “Yeah!” she said excitedly, “I forgot to eat breakfast cause I had to leave the house so early.” Momo pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. “It’s just past 11 right now. Would you like to join me for brunch?” Momo said smiling. An uneasy feeling bubbled within Mina’s stomach. “Are you sure we should do that? I mean, being seen in public together? As far as people know, we’re not supposed to be friends,” Mina said, her grip on her bag getting tighter again. “We’re not kpop idols, Mina, I don’t think we’ll have paparazzi following us,” Momo said smiling, “Besides, I don’t care if people see me with you. You’re my friend and I’m proud of that.” All the uneasiness and anxiety that Mina had been feeling was suddenly washed away with Momo’s words and that big smile on her face. She looked at Momo with hopeful eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay.”

********************************

Both Mina and Momo took separate cars to the restaurant, with Momo leading in front. When they arrived, they parked next to each other and met again behind their cars. “I’ve never been here before,” Mina said as she looked up, holding her open hand above her brow to block the sunlight. The sign hanging under the awning read in simple cursive text: “Geri’s” Momo smiled and looked up at the sign as she stood next to Mina. “They have the best crepes!” she said cheerfully. “C’mon!” Momo quickly said, taking Mina’s hand in hers, “If we hurry we’ll catch the post-breakfast-pre-lunch slow period and get a table right away!” Mina was startled at the sudden physical contact, but the warmth of Momo’s hand on hers spread throughout her whole body and she suddenly felt completely relaxed. Even as they entered the doors, Momo didn’t let go, and Mina would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t want it.

Momo’s hopes of getting a table soon due to the time of day ended in success, as they were seated right away. Just as they walked through the doors, multiple parties ranging from 3 to 9 people each filed out of the building. As the groups walked past them, Mina’s body couldn’t help but tense up again just like it had at Breakthrough. Momo felt a strong grip on her hand, and she knew exactly what was happening. She didn’t need to turn around to check on Mina, it would only make it worse to have another pair of eyes on her. Instead, she gave Mina’s hand a firm squeeze and stood in front of her. Mina bunched her shoulders together, trying to become smaller as she hid behind Momo’s back. Without even realizing it, she had stepped closer to Momo and even pressed her forehead against Momo’s spine. Momo had a smile on her face, but the instant she felt pressure against her back, the smile dropped. She was stunned and couldn’t move, suspended in disbelief of what was happening. The sea of people that filtered past them seemed to last for an eternity, but Momo didn’t mind. She kept her strong grip on Mina’s hand and stayed completely still as her forehead was pressed against her spine. As soon as a break in the crowd appeared, Momo’s eyes caught the attention of the hostess at the front. With her free hand, she held up two fingers and silently mouthed the word “Two” to the hostess. The hostess nodded and picked up two menus before quickly scanning the room. A moment later, she waved towards Momo and pointed in a direction. Momo smiled and gave Mina’s hand two squeezes followed by a gentle tug. “Mina,” she called out to her, looking over her shoulder. Mina let out a startled yelp and quickly perked back up. Momo had already started walking forward, and Mina trailed behind, their hands still laced together.

The crowd of people finally passed them, and Mina’s muscles started to relax again. She followed Momo, who followed the waitress towards the back of the restaurant. An empty booth sat next to a window, letting in a warm glow of afternoon, autumn sunlight. “Here you are, ladies,” said the waitress as she let the two women take their seats before setting menus down in front of them. A pang of sadness struck through Mina as Momo let go of her hand, but she quickly dismissed the feeling and thought nothing of it. Mina let out a sigh and looked down at the menu, returning to her bubbly self. “So the crepes here are good?” she said smiling at Momo. Momo looked up from the menu and gave Mina the biggest smile, “Not only are they good, they’re super pretty! Definitely post-worthy.” Mina looked back down at her menu and took a good look at the items. “Wow, you’re not kidding, they really care about aesthetic here,” Mina said with raised eyebrows. When the waitress returned, Mina and Momo politely gave their orders and quickly fell into a friendly conversation.

When they received their food, they both made sure to take pictures of each other their meals. They even turned their phones on each other and took a picture of one another across the table. Even as they ate, their words stopped only to take in the delicious food. While Mina was leaning down, about to shove another piece of her crepe into her mouth, Momo said, “Mina-yah.” Mina looked up with clueless eyes, mouth open as she was stopped midway to taking in her food. Momo had turned around, arm stretched at an angle above her with her self-camera ready. As soon as Mina looked up, Momo smiled and tapped the screen with a thumb. The sound of a camera shutter clicked as the screen saved the image. “Momo!” Mina said almost dropping her fork. Momo giggled and turned back around to face Mina, bringing her phone down to examine the image. “Minari looks cute,” Momo said, smiling at her phone. A faint blush suddenly painted Mina’s pale cheeks. “What did you just call me?” she asked as her hand moved to cover her mouth in shock. Momo looked up from her phone and gave Mina a bashful look. “Sorry,” she said, shrugging nervously, “Jihyo called you that and I guess I wanted to call you it too?” Mina’s eyebrows furrowed. “Jihyo? When did you…?” she asked, trailing off as she thought deeper. “The day you passed out,” Momo said, “Jihyo stayed a little longer to talk to me about you.” Mina suddenly became concerned. She leaned forward and pressed Momo on by saying, “What did she say about me?” Momo grinned and took another bite of her crepe. “Nothing,” she said in a sing-song voice, “Nothing at all, Minari.”

The two women talked for hours, even after they finished their meals. They shared more stories about each other's lives, sparing no detail. They shared their aspirations, where they want to be in five years, they talked about everything except one thing: their love lives. The limited experience Mina had with dating put her in a position to avoid the conversation entirely. She didn’t want to embarrass herself, especially in front of Momo. Momo herself avoided the topic purely because she didn’t want to talk about anything Mina didn’t initiate first. It was clear that her assumptions about who Mina was as a person were wrong the moment she questioned her anxiety in big crowds. She wanted to avoid seeing such a sad look on the girl’s face at all costs. That gummy smile was too bright and warm to risk losing it over one conversation.

Mina was laughing no holds barred, her gums showing clearly even as she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. A vibration on the table cut through the conversation and Mina looked down. “Oh, has it really been three hours?” she said, grimacing slightly at how the two had so easily lost track of time. Mina picked up her phone and saw a wall of alerts, but only one new text message, which was the only notification she cared about. “Speaking of roommates…” she said, trailing off as her thumbs started to tap against the screen. Momo’s smile slowly faded as she watched Mina answer a message. The silence between them seemed to last longer than anticipated and Momo couldn’t help but question Mina’s extended silence. “Everything okay?” she asked in a concerned, but still happy voice. Mina’s eyes stayed on the screen a moment longer before she said, “Yeah, sorry, just roommates getting worked up over some stuff…” Mina’s thumbs tapped against the screen some more, getting lost in the conversation on her screen once again. Momo leaned back against the soft cushion of the booth seat and took a drink of her water as she waited for Mina to finish.

When she finally did, Mina set her phone down and looked up at Momo with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, they’re just freaking out over these party plans. Nayeon wants it to be perfect cause it’s her 30th,” Mina said. Momo perked up at the mention of a particular name. She set her glass down and leaned forward, looking at Mina with suspicious eyes. “Did you say Nayeon?” she inquired. Mina had a look of confusion on her face, but nodded slightly. “Yeah, she’s one of my roommates. She’s having a big birthday party in two weeks.” Momo scoffed slightly and leaned back into the cushions, crossing her arms over her chest. “Kinda weird that we both have big birthday parties in two weeks for someone named Nayeon,” Momo said tilting her head slightly as she considered the odds. “I mean, Nayeon is a common name right? The manager at Breakthrough is even named Na Yeon. I know it’s a little different, but still you get what I’m saying. We’re probably going to two different parties,” Mina said. Momo pursed her lips in thought, but her face soon perked up as an idea came to her. “Is your roommate a model?” she asked. Mina looked up at Momo and said, “Yeah…?” Momo’s eyes widened as she realized exactly what was going on. “Oh my god…” Momo said, smiling, “You’re roommates with Im Nayeon!” Mina’s eyebrows furrowed as she started to put the puzzle pieces together. She quickly grabbed her phone off the table and scrolled through her photo gallery. Upon finding the most recent picture she had of Nayeon, which happened to be a selfie of them both cuddled on her bed, she turned the phone to Momo and said, “You’re choreographing for _this_ Nayeon?!” Momo leaned forward to closely inspect the photo. Her eyes widened as her suspicions were finally confirmed. “Yes!” she said, pointing at the screen. “Also,” she said, her tone a lot more dull and bitter this time, “No fair, I like to cuddle too.” Mina didn’t even notice the blatant flirting from Momo, as the shock was too strong for her to process anything else. Their worlds were colliding even more and Mina couldn’t decide if she was happy or scared.

“I guess I’ll see you at the party then, Minari,” Momo said with a wide smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm making this slow burn a little bit faster than what I've been doing for my other fic Republic Corp. Let me know what you guys think of the pacing~
> 
> Next update will have EVEN MORE MIMO ;D


	8. Always by Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina gets a fever and has to stay home. The rest of her roommates are busy for the day, so there's no one to take care of her. No one except...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so so sorry that this update is a week late. Hopefully the Mimo content in this chapter makes up for it!

The shuffling sound of house slippers could be heard against a hardwood floor. The rooms and hallways were still dim as the early morning light was still gradually building up for the day. At 7AM on an autumn Saturday morning, day wasn’t quite night and night wasn’t quite day as the sky took the tone of a muted blue. Nayeon yawned as she trudged along the home she lived in, making her way to the living room. She had a blanket draped over her shoulders and held it close to her frame, as the hardwood material of the ground didn’t quite keep in as much heat as she liked. With the early morning light, she managed to find the TV remote and pointed it at the TV before turning it on. The TV burst to life, startling Nayeon slightly at the loud volume it was set at when it was last used. She quickly turned the volume down and opened the guide menu to navigate to a specific channel number. Her thumb then pressed the same three buttons as she commanded the TV to record every episode airing on the specific channel from 7:30AM to 3PM. Out of all the roommates in the house, Nayeon was the one who recorded shows the most, all of them being dramas that she was obsessed with.

“I don’t know how you can keep up with so many shows, Nayeon-unnie,” said a voice behind her. Startled once again, Nayeon jumped in her skin. The remote dropped from her hand only momentarily as she scrambled to pick it out of the air after juggling it for what felt like ten times. Her body whirled around to look behind her, and her face instantly relaxed at the sight of Mina poking her head out from a mass of blankets. “Mina,” she gasped, putting her hand on her chest, “You scared me!” Mina chuckled, and Nayeon instantly noticed there was something off about her voice. “What are you doing up so early? And in the living room?” Nayeon said, stepping towards Mina, sitting down next to where her head lay poked out from under the blankets. Mina picked her head up slightly, allowing Nayeon to slide her legs under her so she could rest her head on her thighs. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I came down here to try to watch a movie to fall asleep to,” Mina said, her voice low and weak. Nayeon reached down and set the back of her hand onto Mina’s forehead. “You’re burning up, Minari,” Nayeon said in a concerned voice, “Maybe it’s all that time you spend on your phone. Looking at your screen so much in a day can’t be good for you.” Mina let out a sigh and nodded her head in agreement. “I guess I have been using my phone a lot lately,” she said in a weary voice, closing her eyes. “Now that I think about it, you have been alone in your room while on your phone a lot more than you usually are. Is everything okay?” asked Nayeon, her concern for her friend as clear as day. Mina nodded and quietly replied, “Everything is great actually. I’ve just been talking with Momo a lot recently.”

Nayeon’s interest was officially taken. She looked down at Mina with a mischievous look as the theories and questions began to pile in her mind. As if she was looking right at the girl, Mina sighed as she knew exactly what Nayeon was thinking from the sheer silence that followed after her last words. “It’s nothing, Nayeon-unnie,” she dragged, her eyes still closed. Despite how early in the morning it was, Nayeon was unafraid to squeal like a dolphin at Mina’s sudden interest in a woman. “Minari, you can’t blame me for being excited about you talking with someone like you’re already dating,” Nayeon said, throwing her hands into the air, “I don’t even text Jeongyeon that much!” Mina clicked her tongue and said, “That’s cause you talk with her in person. I don’t have that luxury. The last time I saw her was last week when she treated me to lunch.” Nayeon gasped and playfully patted Mina’s butt with her hand. “What?! Mina! Is _that_ why you were too busy to go shopping with us that day?!” she said, putting her hand on her forehead in disbelief.

Mina finally opened her eyes in irritation. She loved Nayeon dearly, but she couldn’t help but be frustrated with her when she was this nosy. She sat up and pulled the blanket around her, only her head appeared from the fluffy mass. “Nayeon,” she said, looking at her, “I love you, but this isn’t helping me sleep, which is what I came down here to do in the first place.” Nayeon laughed and just playfully slapped Mina through the comforter that enveloped her. “Minari,” she said, “When are you going to learn that I’m nosy _because_ you keep to yourself so much. How else am I supposed to know what’s going on with you if I don’t pry? You don’t exactly talk about your love life since that party in college.” Mina pouted her lips, she had no argument. At the mention of the party, however, she threw her head back and rested it against the back of the couch. “Ugh, don’t remind me of that please,” she groaned. Nayeon waved her hand dismissively, smiling at Mina comfortingly, “Sorry sorry,” she apologized. Nayeon turned to face Mina, folding her leg onto the couch while the other still hung over the edge. She brought her elbow up to the back of the couch and propped her head up on her palm. “So do you like Momo?” Nayeon asked, brimming with joy behind her smile.

Mina kept her head against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling as the morning sunrise finally started to brighten the room. “I don’t have time for relationships right now, Nayeon-unnie,” Mina sighed. “That’s not an answer to the question,” Nayeon quickly responded, a grin forming on her face. Mina rolled her eyes. She didn’t need to look at Nayeon to know she had a smug expression. “I don’t know, okay?” Mina said, bringing her arm up to cover her eyes. The lack of sleep combined with her confusing emotions were starting to become too much for her. What was she supposed to make out of all this? The reason she was on a hiatus from her career was to find inspiration to dance again, not love. “You wanna know what I think?” Nayeon said. “No matter what I say, you’re going to tell me anyway,” Mina replied, turning her head to give Nayeon a playful look. Nayeon laughed, but quickly changed to a softer expression. “I think you really like Momo, but you’re afraid to jump into romance again. You should be honest with yourself, Mina. The fact that you’re so unsure about what to do about her proves that you care a lot,” Nayeon said, giving Mina a small smile. Mina pouted her lips again as more thoughts ran through her mind. After a moment of silence, Nayeon abruptly said, “I know that look.” Mina instantly shot Nayeon another glare, to which Nayeon put her hands up in defense. “I know, I know,” she said jokingly, “I gotta get going anyway.” Nayeon pushed off the back of the couch and stood up, slipping her house slippers back onto her feet. “Wait, where are you going?” Mina said, suddenly needy. “Jeongyeon and I have more plans to take care of today. The party is exactly a week from now, and I can’t risk being sick. Make sure you rest and eat well today, Minari! We’ll definitely talk about this more later,” said Nayeon, giving her friend a playful wink. Mina slumped into her blanket cocoon and begrudgingly said, “Okay…”

By the time Nayeon made it back upstairs, the bathrooms were both in use. Nayeon pouted at the inconvenience, but quickly perked up as an idea popped into her head. She quickly made her way to Jeongyeon’s room, which had become a shared room with her, and jumped onto the bed. She snatched her phone from her pillow, her thumbs rapidly tapping the screen.

[7:43AM] Nayeon: Tzuyu-ah! Are you awake?  
[7:43AM] Nayeon: Please say you’re awake  
[7:43AM] Nayeon: You’re awake now, say it

On the other side of the city, the buzzing sound of a vibration could be heard continuously in a small bedroom. Tzuyu stirred in her sleep as the vibration tickled the sheets against her arm. She didn’t wake, however, and simply turned over. “Babe...Babe….Babe….” said a voice as a hand lightly tapped her thigh. Tzuyu’s eyes cracked open to see the face of Chaeyoung in front of her. She may have appeared to be asleep, but there was no mistaking that the voice calling her had belonged to the baby tiger of a girl. “Hmm?” Tzuyu said, scooting closer to Chaeyoung, nuzzling her face into her neck. “Your phone….” Chaeyoung sleepily said, her bare arm wrapping around Tzuyu’s waist. Tzuyu turned over, making sure that Chaeyoung’s arm stayed on top of her, and picked up her constantly vibrating phone. The brightness of the screen burned her eyes slightly as she attempted to decipher the contents of the screen among the stars in her vision. “Nayeon-unnie?” she whispered quizzically as she read the ten unread messages.

[7:51AM] Tzuyu: I’m awake now…  
[7:51AM] Nayeon: Perfect, what’s Momo doing today?  
[7:52AM] Tzuyu: You spam me with texts to wake me up and you expect me to know what Momo is doing today….?  
[7:52AM] Nayeon: It’s about Mina

Tzuyu suddenly felt awake. The sleep that had been tugging her back into the comfortable slumber in the arms of her girlfriend was quickly brushed off.

[7:53AM] Tzuyu: omg what about Mina? Dahyun says that Momo messages her all day every day. We all think she likes her  
[7:53AM] Nayeon: Well you guys aren’t the only ones. All of us here agree that Mina likes Momo, she just doesn’t want to admit it  
[7:54AM] Tzuyu: Okay so how does this relate to asking Momo what she’s doing today??  
[7:54AM] Nayeon: Mina is sick  
[7:54AM] Tzuyu: Oh no! I hope she feels better soon :heart: I really want to meet her formally at the party next week  
[7:55AM] Nayeon: Just tell Momo that Mina is sick and send her our address :wink: Here: [xxxxx]  
[7:55AM] Tzuyu: Nayeon-unnie…  
[7:55AM] Nayeon: Just do it!!!! And tell her that no one will be home to take care of her! That’s actually the truth, so you wouldn’t be lying!!

Tzuyu scrunched her lips in consideration. _Stupid Nayeon-unnie for being so careless with her information…_ she thought to herself as she copied the address into her phone.

[7:57AM] Tzuyu: What are you doing today?  
[7:57AM] Momo: I just got to the studio for rehearsal, why?  
[7:57AM] Tzuyu: Thats...really impressive actually. You hate mornings  
[7:58AM] Momo: Trust me I still do...There’s just no other time that my dancers can meet :weary:  
[7:58AM] Tzuyu: Have you talked to Mina yet today?  
[7:59AM] Momo: Actually...no I haven’t. That’s weird cause she’s usually up by 7. Wait, why are you asking about Mina?  
[8:00AM] Tzuyu: Nayeon said that she’s sick and that no one will be home today to take care of her  
[8:00AM] Tzuyu: [xxxxx]  
[8:01AM] Momo: TZUYU IS THAT MINA’S ADDRESS  
[8:01AM] Tzuyu: Technically it’s also Nayeon’s address, but yes it is  
[8:01AM] Tzuyu: You don’t have to go, Nayeon just thought you might be free today

“I’m so sorry guys,” Momo said immediately after reading the last message on her phone, “But I’m gonna have to leave you alone for rehearsal today.” The dancers, who were all in mid-stretch, collectively groaned in protest. The group had only met all together at once one time before today. They all knew the steps because they practiced on their own time, but getting the formations right were completely dependent on the three hours they rehearsed every Saturday morning. “You guys still have the room for the next three hours, I just won’t be here,” Momo said as she stood up and gathered her things. “I’m really sorry, something just came up and I won’t be available for the rest of the day,” she apologized, giving the group a respectful bow. “I’ll contact you all about squeezing in one last rehearsal before the big day next Saturday,” Momo said as she walked to the door. “Can one of you please send me a video of your final run of the dance?” she requested, stopping in the doorframe. The dancers, disappointed but understanding, all nodded and waved unenthusiastically at Momo. Momo once again apologized and gave another bow before running out of the Breakthrough Dance Studio.

********************************

Click clack. Click clack. The tapping sound of heels echoed against the walls of a home as Jihyo was getting ready to leave for the day. It was a Saturday, yet Jihyo had a full list of clients on her books for the day. She walked into the living room as she adjusted a rose gold watch on her wrist. “Mina?” she called as she looked at the couches. The ballerina hadn’t moved from her spot on the couch, still bundled in a giant, fluffy comforter. The top of her head poked out from the top of the blanket volcano, her black hair running down the sides like black lava. “Hmm?” she responded in a tired tone. “Make sure you eat well today, okay? I should be back at around seven,” said Jihyo in a motherly tone. Mina nodded and turned her head back to watch the TV. She wasn’t sure how long she had been watching a movie on the screen. Her efforts to try to sleep by lulling herself with the ambient noises of the TV were proving successful as she ducked in and out of sleep for the past half hour. Jihyo smiled at how cute the sight was. She was worried, of course, but Mina always had a way of making anything look cute.

Jihyo turned and picked up her purse from a table pushed against a wall. She walked to the front door and pulled it open, but stopped in her tracks. What stopped her was the sight of Hirai Momo, frozen in place in what looked like her reaching for the doorbell. Jihyo took a good look at Momo. The woman had her hands full with everything one would need when they were sick. In one hand was a plastic bag with food containers inside, Jihyo guessed the giant cylindrical shaped one contained soup. In the other hand she had a large bag that was stuffed with a thick blanket and snacks. “Uhh…” Momo said, dumbfounded with her mouth open. Jihyo quickly put her finger up to her own mouth in a silencing gesture. Momo immediately closed her mouth, following the order. Jihyo looked over her shoulder to check if Mina heard anything. The sound of the TV was the only thing she heard, relieving her. Jihyo turned her head back to look at Momo, giving her a playful grin. She had expected this to happen. It was to be expected for how much Nayeon bragged about it while she was getting ready this morning. “She’s in the living room,” Jihyo said, finally stepping out of the home. As she passed Momo, she put her hand on her shoulder, and said nothing else as she continued walking to her car.

With the door wide open, Momo was left staring into the home from the outside. It was as if it was a portal into another dimension. The furniture, the hardwood flooring, it all looked like a different world to her. The weight of her decision finally dawned on her. Her feet felt like they were bolted into the concrete below and she couldn’t move. “Jihyo?” a weary voice called out, “Did you forget to close the door?” And just like that, Momo felt as light as a feather. That voice. That soft voice was so inviting, she felt free from the shackles that bound her where she stood. She took a step forward, crossing the boundary of the doorframe. The breath she had been holding onto finally released in one long sigh. Momo held her tongue as she walked into the home, pushing the door closed with her back. She followed the sounds of the TV to the living room, where she saw the back of Mina’s head as it poked up from the couch. The TV in front of her had a romance movie playing and Momo couldn’t help but smile. She always knew Mina was a romantic. “Not Jihyo,” Momo finally said, “Just me.”

Mina jumped. The voice didn’t belong to Jihyo at all. She whipped her head around to see what stranger had walked into her home, but held her breath the moment her eyes landed on who it was. There was no mistaking that hime hairstyle and smug grin. “Momo?” she said in practically a whisper, eyes wide in shock as her mouth hung agape. Momo nervously laughed, her grip on the bags in her hands getting tighter. “Hi,” she said, laughing still. “What are you doing here?” Mina asked incredulously, standing up. At first Momo opened her mouth to say something, but then her eyes landed on the penguin pajama set Mina was wearing, and instead of speaking she looked at Mina with an endearing look. Mina looked at Momo with confusion, but quickly realized what she was staring at. Mina looked down at her clothes, then pouted when she looked back up at Momo. “Yes, I have penguin pajamas. I wasn’t expecting visitors okay?” she whined. Momo laughed and shook her head. “Mina, it’s okay,” she said smiling, “It’s really cute.” Mina was grateful that she had a fever. The heat of the sickness made it easy to hide the heat from her blush.

“Wait, don’t you have rehearsal today?” Mina asked, a concerned tone now in her voice. Momo shrugged and said, “Yeah, but I just left them at the studio. They’re fine, they know the steps. I’ll fit in one last rehearsal before next Saturday. They’re all professionals, it’ll be okay. Besides, Tzuyu said you were sick and didn’t have anyone to take care of you, so here I am.” With her last words, Momo held up the bags in her hands as a smile appeared on her face. “Tzuyu? Your roommate? How does she know I’m sick?” Mina asked. “Nayeon told her,” Momo said plainly. Mina grit her teeth and brought her hand up to her forehead in embarrassment. “Of course she did…” she said. Momo walked with a pep in her step, making her way further into the living room. “Well!” she said confidently, “I’m here now. Looks like you’re stuck with me, Minari.” Momo set the two bags down on the coffee table. She kneeled in front of them and pulled out the soup first. Mina turned her body, following Momo as she approached. She sat back down on the couch and quickly closed her eyes as her body swayed fin a small circle. “Woah,” Momo said, throwing her hands out to grab Mina’s shoulders to steady her. She moved one of her hands to Mina’s face and placed the back of her hand against the woman’s forehead. “You’re burning up,” she said with a frown. “Lean back,” Momo said, gently pushing Mina to sit against the couch, “I’ll fix you a bowl of soup.”

Mina was too weak to argue. She leaned back against the couch as told and looked at Momo with half-lidded eyes. She desperately wanted to sleep, but Momo’s sheer presence kept her awake. She wanted to be awake while she was here. As the host in the situation, it would be rude if she were to fall asleep with a guest in her home. Was that the reason she wanted to stay awake? Mina kept telling herself that. Momo had disappeared into what Mina assumed was the kitchen. The sound of cupboards opening and closing as a stranger attempted to navigate their way through an unfamiliar kitchen could be heard over the sounds coming from the TV. After a minute of rummaging through almost every cabinet, Momo finally emerged from the kitchen with a bowl and a spoon. She knelt in front of the coffee table again and carefully poured some of the soup into the empty bowl. “Here,” Momo said, setting the bowl down on the table in front of Mina, “Eat.” Mina slowly pushed herself up, closing her eyes the moment the room started spinning. When she felt balanced, she opened her eyes again and looked down at the steaming soup in front of her. The aroma of the savory flavors instantly relaxed her entire body as well as her mentality. Mina slipped off the edge of the couch and crossed her legs as she sat on the floor. A shiver ran up her spine as her fever made her skin sensitive to anything that wasn’t 90 degrees. Momo noticed this and quickly pulled the fluffy comforter off the couch and wrapped it around Mina’s shoulders. “Hopefully your fever will break soon,” she said with a warm smile, “Can’t have you sick for Nayeon’s party.”

Mina had the spoon on the way to her mouth when she stopped to look up at Momo’s smiling face. The way her lips were always somehow pulled into a cocked grin made the woman beam with confidence in every scenario. Should she really allow herself to fall for someone like this? She had seen this story before, and she didn’t like the ending. But Momo’s endless comfort and care for her made it hard to resist. Her exhaustion made itself known once again as she realized that she had no energy for such complex thoughts at the moment. Instead, she just smiled weakly and said, “Thank you, Momo.” Momo had no words to say. The look of pure gratitude on Mina’s face followed by the bottomless joy she radiated from the first spoonful of soup warmed Momo’s heart to no end. What made her even more happy was the fact that she knew she was the cause of that smile. She wanted to be that for Mina. She wanted to be a reason behind those gummy smiles.

Momo nodded and gave Mina a reassuring smile back. She stepped back and sat down on the couch, sitting properly as she attempted to not stare at Mina while she ate. Her eyes focused on the TV in front of her, and a small laugh immediately escaped her lips. Mina licked her lips from the residual soup that collected on them after her last spoonful and turned her head around to look at Momo. “What?” she asked, curious. Momo shook her head as she continued to smile. “The TV,” she said chuckling, “Of course Minari would be watching a romance movie.” Mina’s cheeks puffed up and she pouted defensively before saying, “It’s still a good movie!” Momo looked from Mina to the TV. Her head cocked to the side slightly as she said, “I’ve actually never seen this movie before. Isn’t this the third one they’ve made too?” The sound of metal clinking against ceramic pierced through the room as Mina dropped her spoon into her bowl. “You haven’t seen this movie franchise ever?!” she asked, full with shock. Momo stared at the screen a moment longer before finally shrugging and saying, “I dunno. I usually watch animated movies.” Mina quickly stood up and walked to the cabinet next to the TV. “Oh no no no,” she said with every step, “Momo, we can’t be friends if you haven’t seen these movies.” Momo laughed and leaned back into the couch, finally allowing herself to be comfortable in the unfamiliar home. “Oh no,” she said jokingly, “You’re pulling out the whole- yep there it is,” said Momo, but changed her sentence immediately the moment Mina turned around. In Mina’s hands was a shining case that had three DVD’s packed into it. The look on the woman’s face held nothing but determination as she looked at Momo with a serious expression. “You said I’m stuck with you today right? Well then you’re going to be stuck and watching these movies with me,” Mina pouted. Momo looked from the thick DVD case in Mina’s hands, then back to Mina’s face. It was clear that she couldn’t change the woman’s mind on the matter. Momo held up her hands in surrender. “Okay okay, I’ll watch these movies with you if you promise to finish eating,” she said smiling. Mina gave her a smile back and happily nodded in agreement.

One by one, Mina popped in each DVD of the romantic trilogy she loved. For the entirety of the first movie, Mina devoured all of the food that Momo had brought her. The soup was the first to go, but the rest of the meal followed in waves after that. Once the substantial food was gone, Mina switched to eating the snacks that Momo also brought. She sat on the couch next to Momo and shared each bag of delicious goodies with her as they both enjoyed each of the movies. Halfway through the third movie and Mina’s enthusiasm had almost completely disappeared. The weight of the food in her full stomach combined with her sleep deprivation was finally starting to win over her desire to be awake in Momo’s presence. Her head started to droop forward while her eyes closed. Immediately after, she picked her head up and inhaled sharply in an effort to fight off her sleep. After following the storyline of the romance trilogy for two full movies thus far, Momo was now invested. Her eyes were focused on the screen as she watched with intent as the scenes unfolded one right after the other. She turned her head, about to say something to Mina about what she had been theorizing for the finale, but held her tongue when she saw Mina come close to her. Mina’s head crashed onto Momo’s shoulder as her body pulled her into her own dreamworld at last. Momo held her breath as she became nervous at how close Mina was. Their bodies hadn’t been this close to each other since the day they went to Geri’s. The way that Mina pressed her forehead against her spine to hide from the crowd leaving the restaurant felt exactly the same to how she rested her head on her shoulder. Momo would be lying if she said she didn’t like it. After the initial shock of the touch passed, Momo quickly relaxed. The smell of lavender filled her nose as the scent of Mina’s hair presented itself. Momo turned her head and lightly pressed her nose against the top of Mina’s head, taking in a thoughtful breath before smiling. She turned her head back to look at the TV screen. The sounds of the movie soon became a drone of noise. The rhythm of Mina’s breathing as the comforter on top of her rose and fell with her started to lull Momo to sleep. _Just a small nap should be okay, right?_ Momo thought to herself as her eyelids became heavy. Within minutes, Momo’s head fell to the side, resting against the top of Mina’s, as the sweet relief of sleep overtook her.

********************************

The muffled sound of jingling keys could be heard fiddling with the locks of the front door before the door swung open, revealing an exhausted-looking Jihyo. She stepped inside and immediately became comfortable, taking off her shoes, shedding herself from the bags she carried. “Mina?” she called out as she stepped further inside. The ambient sound of a TV made its way to Jihyo’s ears and a scolding pout quickly made its way to her face. “Have you been a couch potato _all day_” she said as she turned the corner into the living room. Jihyo stopped in her tracks the moment she noticed not one, but two heads of black hair, who seemed to be very close to each other. A small smile found its way to Jihyo’s face as she stepped forward, now making every effort to dampen the sound of her house slippers. When she came to the front of the couch, she was met with a single pair of brown eyes, looking at her with a guilty expression. “I know what this looks like,” Momo said, grimacing apologetically, “But it’s not what you think.” Jihyo brought her hand up to her mouth as she giggled. “No, I mean I only walked in on you two cuddling right?” It’s definitely not that,” she teased. Momo chuckled and shifted her eyes to look down at the head of black hair that had made her shoulder its new home. “We were watching movies and she fell asleep in the middle of the third one. She’s been out for two hours now, but I don’t want to move and wake her up,” Momo said. Jihyo brought her hands to her chest in an affectionate manner and said, “Aww…” Momo’s eyes landed on the remote that sat on the couch that was perpendicular to the one she sat on. “Jihyo, you don’t understand, I’ve been watching the same animation in this DVD menu for an hour, please help me,” Momo pleaded. Jihyo turned around to see the menu animation of a DVD on loop. She kept her laugh silent as she moved to pick up the remote and switched the TV back to the cable channels. Momo let out a deep sigh of relief and looked up to the ceiling before saying, “Oh thank god. If I had to hear that menu music one more time, I think I actually would’ve died.”

“So,” Jihyo said in a low voice, trying to keep her voice down to let Mina sleep, “What exactly do you think _this_ looks like?” Jihyo plopped herself down on the other couch and looked at Momo with a sly grin as she gestured towards both her and Mina. Momo’s lips scrunched in thought as she looked at Jihyo. She looked back down at Mina and let out a deep sigh. “Is it that obvious?” Momo said through her teeth, matching Jihyo’s tone. The last thing she wanted was for Mina to be awake for this conversation. Jihyo leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. “You cancel your plans for the whole day to come take care of her. You two talk to each other every spare moment of every day. I find you two cuddling on the couch when I got home from work. Yeah, it’s that obvious,” said Jihyo, a grin on her face. Momo let out a quiet groan and let her head fall back against the couch. She looked up at the ceiling as she said, “I shouldn’t have these feelings. Mina doesn’t even want a relationship in the first place, she told me herself.” Jihyo sighed and rolled her eyes. “That was true before she met you,” she said plainly. Momo picked her head up to look at Jihyo, her eyes focused and intrigued. “What do you mean? Momo asked. “Ever since you two became friends, she’s done nothing but stay in her room and talk to you. Mina is my best friend, I’ve known her since high school. Trust me when I say I know when she has it bad,” responded Jihyo.

A bright blush suddenly formed on Momo’s face. Jihyo took a breath through her teeth as she scrunched her shoulders in a cringe. “Ooo, you have it bad too,” she said. Momo sighed again and looked at Jihyo with a sad expression. “I don’t know what to do. One one hand, I want to ask her out on a date, but on the other, I don’t want to push her. Every time I’ve asked her about her love life, she becomes very closed off and changes the subject,” said Momo. Jihyo looked down at her lap as a memory resurfaced in her head. “There’s a reason for that,” Jihyo admitted. “I know that, but she won’t tell me,” Momo frowned. Jihyo was silent as she considered her next move. She looked at Mina’s sleeping face for a moment before looking back up at Momo. “You said she’s been asleep for two hours?” Jihyo asked. Momo nodded and replied, “Just about. She fell asleep in the middle of the last movie. So maybe two and a half?” 

Jihyo nodded, eyes moving about the room in thought. With a deep breath, she finally gathered her courage and said, “When Mina and I graduated college. We hosted a house party here to celebrate. There was this girl that she had been crushing on for weeks. She came to the party and immediately started flirting the moment the alcohol started flowing. Mina thought it was actually moving forward, but the girl only wanted a one night stand. After that, Mina focused on her career and her career alone. As romantic Mina is as a person, she wanted nothing to do with romance after that night. Even talking about it now, it feels like a small issue, but to Mina it meant a lot.” Momo remained silent as Jihyo spoke about Mina’s past. After listening to the story, even Momo felt that it was a small issue. She had spent her college years doing the same thing that that girl had done to Mina and thought nothing of it. Hearing about it from the other side somehow filled her with guilt and regret. “You remember when I first met you and I said ‘don’t involve yourself with her unless you plan on staying’? Well that’s why,” said Jihyo, breaking the silence, “Mina just doesn’t want to get hurt again like she did before.” Momo had been looking at the ground in thought. Silence enveloped the room as Jihyo waited for Momo to say something, anything. Momo turned her head to look down at the top of Mina’s head. The calming scent of lavender filled her nose again and a small smile formed on her face. For the past week she had thought and thought and thought about the idea of being together with Mina. They were both working professionals in their field, would their schedules allow for a relationship? They both established early on in their friendship that they weren’t looking for relationships, was Momo truly ready to go back on her word? A fire burned in the pit of Momo’s stomach as the idea of calling Mina hers motivated her to no end. She wanted this. She wanted Mina.

Momo turned to look at Jihyo. Her eyes were filled with nothing but determination and resolve. Her eyes locked with Jihyo’s as she said,

“I’m not going anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will hopefully be on time. I am taking a mini vacation home, but I am bringing my laptop so fingers crossed I can make it happen. If not, next update will be a day or two late, so I apologize in advanced OTL
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for supporting #BreakthroughTwiceAU <3


	9. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All nine girls finally come together to celebrate Nayeon's birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is...ENJOY

“Minari, you don’t have to come if it makes you uncomfortable. It’s okay, really,” said a voice from inside Mina’s room. Mina was in her closet, pulling hanger after hanger of clothes. Skirts, shirts, dresses, pants, tops, bottoms, as much as she could fit in her arms. She walked back out to her room where her three roommates were waiting for her. Jihyo was straddling Mina’s vanity chair, leaning forward to rest against the back of it. Her arms were folded on top of each other on the top of the chair while her chin rested on them. Jeongyeon was sitting on Mina’s bed, back resting against the headboard while her arms rested on Nayeon’s shoulder, her hands landing on her stomach. Nayeon was using Jeongyeon as her own personal headboard as she lied against the woman’s chest, giving Mina a concerned look as the ballerina dumped the mass of clothes onto her bed in between Nayeon and Jeongyeon’s legs. “I appreciate your concern, Nayeon-unnie,” Mina said in a huff, “But It’s your 30th Birthday and I’m not missing it.” Nayeon couldn’t help but smile. Ever since Mina had returned home, the three roommates of hers did their best to make sure when they were together in public to avoid the crowds as much as possible. As much as they all loved Mina being home, they knew she loved and missed dancing and wanted to help her mentally recover quickly. “Okay but you can leave if you start to get uneasy,” Nayeon said, holding her finger up for her single condition. Mina nodded as she started to sort through the clothes, separating them by type. “Believe me, I absolutely will if it gets to that point, but I want to at least be there at the start,” Mina said.

“Alright ladies!” Nayeon said, pushing herself off Jeongyeon to sit up. She clapped her hands together and had a cheerful smile on her face. Her front bunny-looking teeth were white, bright, and held nothing but excitement for the day to come. “The party is tonight and Minari needs an outfit! Let’s get to work!” Nayeon said, pushing herself off the bed to stand with Mina as she looked down at her clothes. “When was the last time you dressed to go out out?” Jeongyeon asked, peering over the various clothing items on the bed with a raised eyebrow. “Is it bad that I can’t even remember? Leggings and pajamas are all I’ve known since I’ve been back,” Mina chuckled. “Keep in mind it’s your first public appearance since your last show, Mina,” Jihyo warned, giving her a motherly concerned look. “A lot of the guests coming are also public figures because Nayeon is...well Nayeon,” she added. Nayeon pouted at Jihyo and said, “Hey!” Jihyo laughed, but continued, “I’m just saying, be careful because you’ll be in front of cameras again. And odds are, people are going to recognize you and ask you when you’re coming back to ballet.” Mina’s mouth scrunched from side to side in thought. She had considered this, of course, but the bottom line was that she wasn’t going to abandon one of her dearest friends for what was perhaps one of her most important birthday celebrations. The idea of being swarmed by people and asked questions she didn’t have the answers too did nothing but give her anxiety, but the idea that her friends will be there to help her gave her the right amount of courage that she needed.

“Don’t worry, Minari,” Nayeon said, wrapping her arm around Mina’s neck. She pulled the girl in for a side hug and teasingly said, “Momo will be there.” Mina rolled her eyes and quickly pushed Nayeon off. “Not this again,” she groaned. The other three laughed while Mina pouted her lips. For the past week, it had been nothing but teasing from the three about her and Momo ever since the choreographer came to take care of her the first day that she was sick. “For the last time,” Mina dragged, “Momo and I are just friends.” _Right?_ Jihyo had a smug grin on her face as she said, “Yeah, because finding you guys cuddled on the couch together while you use the same blanket is _definitely_ just friends behavior.” Mina picked up a skirt, looked at it for a grand total time of one second, and tossed it over her shoulder back into the closet. As she continued to pilfer through the clothes, she said, “I was sleep deprived that day and I happened to fall asleep on her shoulder. She said she didn’t want to wake me up, which is why she let me stay there. _And that’s it_.” Nayeon was quicker to toss clothes than Mina. As a professional model, she had an eye for clothing. But when a crush was involved, her eye for clothing turned sinister as she attempted to play clothing matchmaker. She was helping Mina pick out an outfit for the party, but her ulterior motive was to find an outfit that would make Momo swoon. “Why don’t you try to go out with her, Mina? Just one date?” Jeongyeon suggested. Mina swiftly shook her head, not even sparing Jeongyeon a glance as she continued to look through her clothes. “Not a chance. Especially not after the last time I tried that,” Mina said adamantly. Mina picked up a top and layed it carefully on the bed before setting a bottom down on the bed below it. She turned her head to look at Nayeon for a look of approval, but the model took one look and shook her head. Mina sighed and picked up the clothes, tossing it over her shoulder to join the increasing pile in her closet.

“Mina that was in college,” Jihyo pressed, her arms falling to her sides in exasperation, “You can’t let a single event dictate your relationships for the rest of your life.” Mina shook her head and said, “As a matter of fact, Jihyo, I can. She meant a lot to me and it hurt knowing I was just a simple lay for her. Besides, I’m back home for me, not for love, remember?” Jihyo rolled her eyes and looked over at Jeongyeon for support. They had heard this song and dance multiple times before, but to no avail on their parts. Even so, they continued to advise Mina otherwise, because their love for their friend overpowered their frustrations. “Minari,” Jeongyeon called. “Hmm?” Mina said as she continued to look through her clothes. Jeongyeon glared at Mina and called her again, “Minari!” Mina jumped in her skin and looked up Jeongyeon. “I want you to look at me when I say: We all know that you want to protect yourself, but if you really like someone, we want you to know that no matter what happens we always have your back no matter what. With any crush, any girlfriend, any breakup, we are here for you,” said Jeongyeon in the warmest voice. Mina looked at Jeongyeon, then to Jihyo, then back at Nayeon. They all gave her looks of love and encouragement. Nayeon especially, as she held up a bottom that she approved of, giving Mina a wiggle of her brows. A smile pulled at Mina’s lips unknowingly and her head tilted to the side as she realized she was loved. She was grateful for her friends and Jeongyeon’s words gave her the push she needed to be just a little bit more honest with herself. She would never admit it aloud, at least not right now, but the idea of pursuing a relationship became just a bit more inviting.

Mina shyly looked at the top she was holding. She wasn’t sure when she had picked it up, but she fiddled with it with her hands as she said, “Thanks, you guys.” Nayeon suddenly pointed to the top Mina was holding. “That’s it!” she said excitedly. Mina looked from the clothing in her hands to Nayeon. “This?” Mina said confusingly, holding up the item in her hand. “Yes!” Nayeon said, holding up the item she held, “With this!” Both Jeongyeon and Jihyo looked at the items with approval, but Jihyo’s face scrunched as a rough idea popped into her head. “What if she wore that with….” she trailed off. Jihyo picked up one of her legs and swirled around to sit properly in the chair she was on. She started to pull the drawers of Mina’s vanity, searching for a moment before finally pulling out a particular set of earrings. “With these?” she said, holding them in between her thumb and forefingers. “Oooo…” Jeongyeon cooed as she pushed herself off the bed. She walked past both Mina and Nayeon and rummaged about in Mina’s closet before coming back out. Her left and right hand were full with the last items of clothing the outfit needed as she said, “With this?” Mina looked around the room, her outfit in pieces before her. It had been so long since she wore anything remotely close to the items in her friends’ hands. She bit her lip in thought as she considered the outfit, attempting to picture it on her own body in her head. _She would like this right..?”_ she thought to herself. Mina looked at Nayeon, giving her a look of uncertainty at first, but quickly replaced it with a look of determination. She nodded firmly and said, “Okay.” Nayeon threw her fists up and cheered, “Yes! Momo is gonna be SO WHIPPED!” Mina groaned and gave the girl a push, shouting, “Nayeon!”

********************************

The morning and afternoon went by faster than anyone expected. Jeongyeon was busy finalizing all the details of Nayeon’s party, ensuring everyone working at the event was prepared and ready to bring the celebration together. It was a Saturday night and a mass of people gathered in the lobby of one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. Taking a single glance around the crowd, one would see a plethora of public figures and celebrities. From models, to producers, to even internet stars like YouTubers and Twitter personalities, it seemed that just about everyone came to Nayeon’s 30th’s birthday. Momo, Tzuyu, and the rest of their roommates all stood in one of the many circles that flooded the hotel lobby. “Thanks for inviting us, you guys,” Dahyun said, smiling wide.

Momo and Tzuyu both smiled at their roommates. “Of course we would invite you guys,” Momo said, “Between the two of us, we had more than enough guest tickets for the three of you.” The five friends were dressed to the nines, as if they were going to a high-end club. Dresses, skirts, high heels, high-heeled boots, everything that showed they were meant to have a good night filled with dancing and alcohol. “Now that you mention it,” Sana said, turning to Tzuyu, “Why aren’t you doing the photography for the event, Tzuyu?” The photographer nervously smiled and said, “Nayeon-unnie told me not to.” Chaeyoung already knew the reasoning behind Tzuyu turning from a worker to a guest, and just rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder while she explained it to the other roommates. “We’ve become really good friends over the past three weeks and she decided that she wanted me to be at the event as a guest instead of a photographer,” Tzuyu explained. “Aw that’s really sweet!” Sana said, pouting cutely. “Yeah and she really wants to meet you guys. I promised her I would formally introduce you all to her and her roommates,” Tzuyu continued, giving her roommates a nervous smile at the sudden news. Both Dahyun and Sana looked at each other with shocked eyes. Judging by the look of the rest of the women’s faces, it seemed that they were the only ones that didn’t know. “You mean to tell me that I will be meeting THE Myoui Mina tonight?!” Dahyun almost shouted, bringing her hands up to the sides of her head. “And I get to meet THE Im Nayeon?!” Sana said, doing the same action. “Sana, it’s _her_ birthday party, of course you’ll see her today,” Chaeyoung teased. “Yes, but I thought I was just a plus one today! I didn’t know I was going to formally meet her!” Sana replied, still exasperated.

“Wait a minute,” Dahyun said, realizing something as she looked up at Momo, “If Mina’s here today...then that means I get to see how whipped you are when she’s here.” Momo immediately gave Dahyun a glare. “I am _not_ whipped,” Momo said adamantly. “Momo, you literally dropped a rehearsal so that you could go take care of her when she was sick,” Chaeyoung said with a raised eyebrow. Momo didn’t have an argument to the statement. Instead she just groaned and gave Chaeyoung a playful push. “Okay seriously you guys,” Momo pouted, “I really like her. _Please_ don’t embarrass me.” The four other roommates considered the option, their lips forming flat lines as they all silently nodded in understanding. At the exact same time, they all said their answers.

“Yeah no.”  
“Nope.”  
“Not a chance.”  
“Uh-uh.”

Momo threw her head back and groaned once again. “I hate you guys.”

********************************

“Where’s Mina?” Jeongyeon said as she stood with Jihyo in the hotel lobby. Jihyo was looking down at her phone as she answered, “She said she didn’t want to wait in the crowd so she’ll join us once they open the doors. She’s literally just hiding in the car until I text her.” Jeongyeon laughed, a sly smirk pulling at her lips. “And she doesn’t realize that coming in late will just put more eyes on her?” Jeongyeon teased. Jihyo shrugged her shoulders and replied, “I couldn’t convince her otherwise. You know how she is with crowds.” Jeongyeon chuckled again, growing silent as she looked among the crowd. “Nayeon said that Momo and Tzuyu invited their roommates. I’m so jealous that you’ve met Momo twice and I haven’t even seen her once,” Jeongyeon said. “Don’t let Nayeon hear you say that, she’ll rip you a new one,” Jihyo giggled. “Oh shut up,” Jeongyeon defended, “You know what I mean. I just wanna know what kinda girl our Minari has gotten herself involved with, that’s all. She doesn’t exactly have the best track record with relationships. Her only long-lasting relationship was that one with that Blackpink Girl” Jihyo tucked her phone away into her clutch and crossed her arms over her chest “Actually,” started Jihyo, “From what I’ve gathered, Momo really likes Mina. And she’s serious about wanting to date her. I even told her the party story and she still insisted.” Jeongyeon’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Wow, there’s not a lot of people these days who are willing to break down emotional walls,” she said. “Yeah well,” Jihyo chimed, “We just need to trust Mina and make sure we’re there for her. No matter what, right? That’s what you said.” Jeongyeon nodded and replied, “I just want Mina to experience love. If there’s anyone in this world that deserves that, it’s Mina.”

********************************

The moment the clock turned to 9PM, the doors to the venue hall were opened from the inside. The hotel lobby erupted into a clamor of cheers and yells of excitement for the night to come. The music immediately flooded into the lobby as the DJ at the center of the raised stage welcomed the guests with hyped up phrases and blaring club music. The bass beat heavily in everyone’s stomachs as they walked in while the flashing lights danced all over their bodies.

Jihyo and Jeongyeon were the first to enter. A bright light immediately flashed in their faces as a photographer snapped a candid photo of them. Jeongyeon and Jihyo didn’t flinch, as they were used to surprise photos. Being best friends with Nayeon meant being constantly exposed to the paparazzi she was swarmed by. The two friends walked in a straight line towards the back of the room, where a large table was prepared. There were plenty of other tables that littered the room, but only one could accommodate more than four people. There was also a sign posted next to the table that said “VIP” in fancy text. Jihyo and Jeongyeon took their seats at the table and made themselves comfortable while the rest of the guests began filtering into the room.

Despite being the youngest of the group, Tzuyu led the flock of her friends into the venue hall with the help of her tall height. The sea of people surrounded both her and her friends as they pushed they were funnelled through the double doors. Behind Tzuyu was Chaeyoung, in tow from their hands linking together. Linked behind Chaeyoung was Dahyun, then Sana, and lastly Momo. When they finally had enough elbow room, Tzuyu turned around to face her friends. “Momo, do you see Nayeon-unnie?” Tzuyu yelled over the music. Momo shook her head and said, “No, but I see Jihyo and I think that’s Jeongyeon over there.” Momo nodded in a direction, prompting the rest of her roommates to turn their heads to look in the same direction. “Perfect,” Tzuyu said, taking Chaeyoung’s hand again, “That’s where she wanted us to wait for her.”

With Tzuyu leading again, her height once again giving her an advantage while she navigated through the crowds. The room was filling up now, everyone that had been waiting in the lobby was almost all inside the hall. When Jihyo spotted Tzuyu, a wide smile appeared on her face. “Tzuyu!” she said happily, waving her hands excitedly. When the group approached, Jeongyeon immediately brought Tzuyu into a warm hug. “It’s been too long, Yoda!” she happily said. Tzuyu let go of Chaeyoung’s hand momentarily to return the embrace. “It’s only been a week, Jeongyeon-unnie,” she said smiling. Tzuyu let go and looked over to Jihyo before giving her a hug as well. “And two weeks for you, Jihyo-unnie,” she said, her smile still wide. “Ah!” Tzuyu quickly said, her face perking up in realization, “Let me introduce you to my roommates!”

Tzuyu stood aside and held her hand out to her friends, who had formed a neat line as they looked at Jihyo with smiles on their faces. “Wait!” Jihyo interrupted, holding her hand out to stop Tzuyu, “Let us guess. You talk about them so much, we should be able to know them by now.” Jihyo pointed to Sana first. “I know for a fact you’re Sana, because Nayeon won’t shut up about you whenever you post a new video,” she said. Sana beamed, her hands coming up to her cheeks as she heard the praise. “The Im Nayeon is one of my Shibas?” she swooned, the widest smile pulling at her lips, “I’m so honored!” Jihyo’s pointed finger moved to Dahyun and she said, “You were holding hands with Sana just now so you must be Dahyun. Tzuyu tells us you’re a goddess on the piano.” Dahyun’s mouth opened, stunned at what she just heard. Her head turned to Tzuyu and she gave her an incredulous look. Tzuyu was known to be coldly humorous with everyone, so the sudden compliment from the youngest shocked not just Dahyun, but everyone of the other roommates as well. “Goddess? Me? Tzuyu tells us that you’re the god among us, Jihyo,” Dahyun teased with a smile. Before Jihyo had a chance to say anything more, Jeongyeon suddenly pointed at Chaeyoung and said, “And you’re Chaeyoung! I can tell by your dimple!” Jeongyeon was leaning now, her finger was inches from Chaeyoung’s cheek as she smiled at her. Chaeyoung brought her hands up to her face to hide while her smile grew wider. “Babe!” she playfully whined, turning to hide against Tzuyu’s shoulder. “What?” Tzuyu laughed, “It’s my favorite thing about you. How could I not?”

Jeongyeon’s eyes then turned to look at Momo, who was wearing her permanent cocky grin. “And you,” Jeongyeon said, making Momo’s grin disappear. Momo looked at Jeongyeon with wide eyes, like a deer in headlights, unsuspecting of what was to come. “The last time I saw you, you were watching over Mina,” she said, her tone softening. Momo instantly released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and smiled in relief. For a moment, she had expected Jeongyeon to scold her, blame her, anything on the negative spectrum of things; but, the expression of gratitude in her voice eased her instantly. Jeongyeon smiled, lowering her finger. “Thank you for taking care of her that day,” she said genuinely. Momo opened her mouth to say something, but Jeongyeon stopped her once more and said. “You’ve really had her wrapped around your finger since then though, you know?” Jeongyeon’s voice was sly and playful as she teased the choreographer. Momo’s expression quickly changed to a bashful one as she brought her hand up to rub the back of her neck. She opened her mouth to say something, but once again she was interrupted. This time, it was from her own friends. “I think you mean it the other way around. Mina’s got Momo pretty whipped,” Chaeyoung said with a snicker, dropping her hands from her face to look at Momo. Momo groaned and gave Chaeyoung a friendly push as she whined, “Chaeyoungie!”

By this time, all of the guests had all entered the hall. The doors were shut now, as no one was left for anyone to hold them open for. With only Mina and Nayeon missing from them, the seven girls easily fell into a friendly conversation. They were quick to develop bonds and exchange numbers, mostly because they were all now friends, but also because they wanted to keep tabs on the new budding relationship of their mutual friends, Momo and Mina. “Speaking of,” Tzuyu said as she finished typing her number into Jeongyeon’s phone, “Where is Mina-unnie?” The music that was playing through the speakers was going through a soft transition, causing the sound of heavy doors to cut through the clamor of the venue hall. All heads turned, over a hundred pairs of eyes landed on the single woman that stood in the doorway. It was only until after she stepped in and the bright lights from the lobby disappeared, that everyone got a chance to see that it wasn’t the star of the party, but in fact Myoui Mina, who had been out of the public’s eyes for months.

The last time Mina appeared in front of a collective group of people as well as cameras was the closing night performance of her last show. Months later, she appeared in front of everyone in an outfit that couldn’t be more opposite than her usual tutu. Every single piece of clothing Mina wore was black. Her black crop top hoodie exposed her subtle abs while her black skirt covered her from above her bellybutton to her upper thighs. A pair of thigh high black socks ran up her slender legs, and a pair of heavy black boots were tied onto her feet. Dangling from her ears were large hoop earrings while a thick silver pendant hung from her neck. Her hair was tied up into a high ponytail, allowing her long black locks to stop just past her shoulders. The only splash of color on Mina, which brought her entire look together, was the deep, red lipstick that stained her lips.

Everyone looked upon Mina with a mixture of expressions that ranged from shocked to amazed to surprised. Standing completely still with her mouth hung agape was Momo as she looked at Mina with such an intense stare, nothing dared to break it. Nothing except the feeling of something slapping against the back of her shoulder. “Hey Momo,” Dahyun said. Momo couldn’t take her eyes of Mina. “Yeah?” she responded, refusing to let her eyes wander from the ballerina. “You dropped your nose,” Dahyun said plainly. Chaeyoung snorted, quickly bringing her hand up to hold back her laugh. “Whipped clown,” she snickered at Momo. Momo said nothing back to Dahyun. Her eyes were locked onto Mina still, but she made no hesitation to give Dahyun’s bare thigh a sharp slap with the back of her hand. Dahyun winced and rubbed the stinging area on her thigh, earning a laugh from everyone in the group.

Mina immediately felt something heavy on her shoulders. With every single pair of eyes that she saw, she felt herself getting smaller and smaller. She could hear the sounds of numerous conversations happening at once as the music finally transitioned to a louder level.

“Is that Myoui Mina?”  
“Holy shit, she’s hot.”  
“Good girl gone bad, huh?”  
“Oh my god, take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture.”

Mina forced her lips to pull into a smile. She rose one of her hands and gave a small wave to those who had their cameras out. The bright flashes from the actual photographers for the event started soon after that and Mina put on as best of a face as she could. A vibration in her pocket pulled her from the cameras, however, and she ducked away from the cameras to check her phone.

**JokbalQueen:** You look beautiful, Mina :heart:  
**JokbalQueen:** Come join us at the VIP table. We’re all here except for Nayeon

Mina’s eyes swiftly rose, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. A couple groups of people continued to stare at her, but she paid them no mind as a certain pair of brown eyes stared directly back at her. Standing among six other women, Momo was the only one looking in Mina’s direction. Her practically permanent cocky grin was nowhere to be found, as Mina only saw warmth from the eyes and smile on Momo’s face. A genuine smile finally appeared on Mina’s face as the sight of Momo eased her tense muscles. She picked up her pace as she made her way over to the VIP table, joining Momo and the others. When she arrived, she stood next to Momo, and was quickly introduced to Momo’s roommates by Momo herself. The initial shock of Myoui Mina in person passed over Dahyun quickly, as the pianist was painfully aware of the reason Mina was uncomfortable in the current environment. As much as the composer wanted to freely express her happiness in meeting one of her favorite celebrities, she also knew that Mina was still on hiatus for a reason, so she kept her freakout to a minimum.

Once the pleasantries were over, the group easily fell into a friendly conversation again. Mina kept to herself and only spoke when spoken to. She made sure to stand close to Momo, closing the gap between their bodies. Momo instinctively moved her hand back and away from Mina’s body so she wouldn’t touch her, but a warm feeling stopped her as Mina secretly took Momo’s hand into hers. The rest of the group didn’t seem to notice the dancers’ hidden gesture and continued their conversation as if nothing happened. Neither Momo nor Mina could focus on the conversation happening in front of them as the warm feeling they felt in each others’ hands was the only thing that filled their minds. Mina felt a firm squeeze around her hand and she smiled to herself. She returned the squeeze with one of her own, stealing a glance from Momo in her peripherals. After feeling the squeeze around her own hand, Momo shifted her eyes to the side to quickly look a Mina, a smile forming on her face soon after.

A voice started to blare through the speakers as the DJ began to hype up the party guests. The eight girls standing with each other at the VIP table all turned, looking towards the DJ. Both Momo and Mina let go of each other’s hands at the same time, not wanting to risk being caught, as they joined everyone in listening to what the DJ was preparing to say. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the one, the only….IM NAYEON!” the DJ yelled into his microphone.

The double doors leading to the lobby burst open and a group of dancers began to jump into the room. Standing at the center of the doorway was Nayeon, dressed in a tight dress that matched the colors of the outfits of the dancers. The music transitioned perfectly into the proper song and the group of dancers began their choreography with Nayeon in the center of them. Nayeon’s entrance to her own birthday party was indeed flashy, but not surprising given it was Im Nayeon in question. What was surprising, however, was the fact that Nayeon joined the dancers in the routine, performing completely in sync with them as they made their way to the center of the dancefloor.

“Nayeon’s in the dance too?!” Mina shouted in disbelief as she turned to Momo. The rest of the girls except Jeongyeon all turned to look at Momo, all carrying the same look that Mina had. Momo simply gave them all a wide smile and said, “Surprise!” Jihyo and Mina looked at each other, exchanging looks of shock before shifting their eyes back onto Nayeon, who was performing her heart out on the dance floor. “I had no idea Nayeon-unnie could dance like that!” Tzuyu said as she continued to watch the performance. The entire piece was a couple minutes long. The music that accompanied it was a medley of modern pop songs that were mashed together into one big mix. When the performance ended, the dancers all struck a pose with Nayeon featured in the middle. The room erupted into an uproar of yells, screams, and claps as everyone cheered the birthday girl. A single event staff worker ducked as he hurriedly handed Nayeon a microphone. The model had a bright smile on her face, her bunny teeth out for everyone to see. When the noises of the crowd was low enough, Nayeon brought the microphone up to her mouth and spoke.

“Thank you all so much for coming to my 30th birthday party. The plan for tonight is simple. Drink, dance, and have fun!”

The party guests erupted once more into a fit of cheers as they all held up their glasses. Alcoholic concoctions of every variety in every type of glass could be seen. For the next hour, a myriad of hors d’oeuvres were served on platters by waiters and waitresses that walked about the hall. It took Nayeon a full hour to make her rounds. She greeted her party guests, caught up with whoever pulled her into a conversation that lasted longer than a ‘thanks for coming’, and she took plenty of pictures. When she finally joined her closest friends, she was greeted by five more pairs of eyes. “Ahh, I’m so happy you all made it!” Nayeon sighed in relief. An arm wrapped around her waist while a familiar pair of lips connected to her cheek. She suddenly found a drink in her hand while Jeongyeon said, “Happy Birthday, baby.” A warm blush painted Nayeon’s cheeks as a bashful smile pulled at her lips.

After Nayeon was officially introduced to the rest of the girls, their group was finally complete. The nine girls grew so close in such a short amount of time of knowing each other, it felt as if they were all meant to be in each other’s lives. All nine of them had finished at least one drink, making them even more rowdy than when they started. A new song flawlessly transitioned into the speakers and Nayeon’s eyes widened. It was a familiar tune to her, but most of all to Momo. The funky, hip-hop tune of the song was the exact same [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_P0mqhSrJ0) she used in her very last class she had taught. The moment the song started, an image of Lisa from Blackpink instantly appeared in Momo’s mind and she wished that she had her dance partner with her. The nine women gradually stepped their way to the dance floor, where they made a large circle in the middle. All of them cheered on Momo to take the center, encouraging her to perform her own choreography. Momo had a shy smile on her face as the song continued to play. The start of her choreography was coming up while the eight women surrounding her continued to embolden her to the center. Momo took a giant step forward, placing herself in the center of the circle and started her routine. The loud cheers that came from around her she expected. What caught her off guard, however, was despite Lisa not attending the party, she still in fact had a dance partner. In the exact same moment that Momo stepped in, a heavy black boot stepped in along with her. Standing right by her side, doing the exact steps of the choreography in perfect sync, was none other than Myoui Mina.

The sight of Mina dancing took everyone by surprise. Not only was Mina dancing in public, but she was dancing in a style that wasn’t ballet. Only Mina’s roommates knew that Myoui Mina had done some hip-hop in her early career, but that still didn’t take the shock factor away the moment she stepped in to join Momo. Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon knew better than anyone that Mina was completely uncomfortable with performing non-ballet in public. They could hear her heavy, hard-hitting moves from the thuds on the floor when she would listen to music in the privacy of her own room. But the ballerina never showed that side of her dance to anyone. Until today. Momo’s mouth fell in shock when she finally realized it was Mina dancing next to her, but her mouth quickly changed to a smile at the sight of Mina letting loose and giving her insecurities away to dance again.

The beginning part of the choreography was over, signaling the start of the actual paired parts of the dance. Without saying a word, both Mina and Momo came together to dance the paired sections perfectly. The music took a more sultry turn. Mina couldn’t keep her eyes away from Momo’s, and Momo stared directly back at her. They closed the gap between each other, Mina stepping back to press her back against Momo’s chest as they ground their bodies down in a circle together. Mina had turned her head to look over her shoulder at Momo while Momo naturally rested her hand on Mina’s hips. They were so close to each other that Mina could feel the warmth of Momo’s breath against her scalp. The feeling of Mina against her body sent Momo into a frenzy of emotions. It was a completely different feeling of touch than what she felt when Mina rested her head on her shoulder a week ago. The alcohol that coursed through her body warmed her veins, but dancing with Mina warmed her so much more in so many different ways.

Mina turned around completely as her body flowed into the next step. She placed both of her hands onto Momo’s shoulders while Momo put both of her hands on Mina’s waist. Mina popped her body three times to the beat of the music all the while keeping her eyes locked on Momo’s. They both looked at each other as if they were they only ones that existed in the room and mouthed the next words of the song. “_I need a cha cha beat boy._”

The song changed back to it’s more upbeat section and Mina and Momo exchanged smiles with each other as they performed the rest of the choreography. A stranger looking in would think that Mina and Momo were dance partners long before tonight. Their synchronization and chemistry while they performed were nothing short of perfect. For the first time in months, Mina actually felt something while she was dancing. Emotion was present in her movements, but it was also present in her very being. Seeing Momo smile while she danced next to her gave her that motivation and inspiration that she had been so desperately trying to search for. Even now she couldn’t pinpoint why she took a step forward to join Momo in the dance circle. But every touch, every glance from Momo pulled Mina closer and closer. Momo enveloped all of her senses and she didn’t want any of it to stop.

When the dance finally ended and the two struck the ending pose, they held their tableaus completely still as they looked at one another. Momo had her signature cocky grin on her face while Mina’s gummy smile was bright for the world to see. If it weren’t for Nayeon practically tackling Mina out of the circle, the two could’ve stayed entranced with each other for hours.

“Mina you’re so hot!” Nayeon yelled, pulling her friend into a tight hug from behind her back. Mina giggled nervously and loosely placed her arms on top of Nayeon’s arms that wrapped around her stomach. The rest of the girls took their turn to praise Mina for her performance. When it finally came time for Momo to say something, the choreographer could only smile and hide behind her hands. She was at a loss for words for what to say to Mina, her mind still running at a million miles an hour at the fact that she was her dance partner just moments ago. The other seven girls clearly saw this interaction and started to tease them both with “whoos” and “oohs” followed by flirtatious whistles. Both Mina and Momo smiled and said nothing to one another. They just stepped closer together and pulled each other into a tight hug.

The high from dancing with Momo, although the best feeling Mina had felt in months, plummeted faster than she could keep up with. Being in the middle of the dance circle meant that everyone, not just seven of her friends, were watching. Once the song ended, Mina couldn’t help but hear small phrases in passing as she continued to casually dance with her friends.

“Did Mina ditch ballet for dance?”  
“Oh my god, maybe she’s the reason Momo and Lisa broke up.”  
“Twitter will eat them alive.”  
“Did you see the video? It’s already trending.”

Mina did her best to ignore all the comments she heard, but they somehow became louder and louder in her ear the more she heard them. It had only been ten minutes since her dance with Momo ended and she somehow couldn’t hear anything else around her but comments involving her. Not even the blast of the music and the yells of drunks could drown out the words that pierced into Mina’s ears. When created a fake opportunity to excuse herself, smiling at her friends as she casually told them she needed to use the restroom. “You want me to go with you?” Jihyo suggested, but Mina was already gone, swallowed up by the crowd of party guests.

A song passed since Mina left for the bathroom. Then three, then five. Alcohol was now heavy in the group of girls. Everyone was either drunk or very close, except Momo. Ever since her dance with Mina ended, she refused to consume any more alcohol. She didn’t want to risk missing any moment with Mina by blurring it with alcohol and a drunken state. No, she wanted to experience tonight with Mina completely for what it was, and she wanted all of it. The problem was, Mina was nowhere to be found. Momo excused herself from the group of girls, using the same excuse as Mina and hurried out of the venue hall.

Momo pushed through the double doors and was met with a relatively quiet lobby. Once the doors behind her closed, there was only the sound of muffled music as it bled through the thick hotel walls. Momo turned and immediately walked to the bathroom. “Mina?” she softly called as she stepped inside. Because of how late it was, even the bathroom was painfully quiet. “Mina, are you in here?” Momo called again, stepping inside to the larger room. When Momo turned the corner, she saw Mina leaning over the counter. Her head was hung and her shoulders rose high and sunk low with every deep breath she took. Concerned, Momo approached Mina cautiously. She kept herself about two feet away from the woman before she said, “Mina, what’s wrong?”

The silence that followed seemed to drag on for hours as Mina continued to look down into the sink. After a moment, she picked her head up at last and looked at herself in the mirror. She closed her eyes and took another moment to herself, breathing in deep, slow breaths for another minute. When she was ready, Mina turned around and looked directly into Momo’s eyes. “I need to get out of here,” she said.

Momo’s eyes lit up with understanding and determination. Without hesitation she stepped forward and grabbed Mina’s hand, lacing her fingers with hers. “Then let’s go,” Momo said firmly as she gave Mina’s hand a squeeze. Mina opened her mouth, but held her tongue when Momo started to walk away, pulling her along. As they walked out of the bathroom, Mina was stumbling as she struggled to keep up with Momo. “Where are we going?” she asked, finally catching up with her. Momo kept up her quick pace as she led the way to the front entrance of the hotel. She turned her head to look at Mina and gave her the biggest, warmest smile. “Doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be 100% Mimo and only Mimo. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it <3


	10. Me and You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momo and Mina are left to be themselves around each other. Where will their escape lead them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really proud of this one
> 
> Enjoy~

There were many things Mina could have said while Momo pulled her out to the front of the hotel. She wanted to ask why Momo cared so much, she wanted to ask if it really was okay to leave their friends without even saying goodbye, she wanted to ask if Momo truly meant what she said just moments ago. However, Mina’s emotions were still jumbled into one big mess, and she couldn’t form the words. The anxiety she felt from the passing conversations that practically consumed her every being was still fresh in her system. The words that she heard about her and Momo were almost as loud as her heartbeat that thumped loudly in her ears. A part of her wanted to rip her hand away from Momo, to disappear and hide away from everyone. But the warmth she felt gripping against her skin slowly began to travel up her arm and ease her worries. The look of pure wonder and joy on Momo’s face gave Mina the confidence to go along with the sudden plan. Before she knew it, she was sliding into the passenger seat of Momo’s car.

Momo quickly slid into the driver’s seat and started the car. The engine roared to life for only a split second before Momo pulled the car out of the parking space and sped toward the exit of the lot. “Okay but seriously,” Mina said, hurrying to buckle her seatbelt, “Where are we going?” Mina felt calmer now. Something about being alone with Momo, no one else around them, gave her a comforting feeling she couldn’t shake. Momo continued to look forward as she drove. The same wide smile hadn’t left her face for even a second since it appeared on her face in the bathroom. Momo held onto the steering wheel with her left hand while she reached toward Mina with her right. With little difficulty, she found Mina’s hand and laced their fingers together once again. “Wherever you wanna go, Minari,” she said, sparing a quick glance to Mina.

Mina’s breath hitched quietly as she was taken aback by Momo’s words. She knew Momo had always been rather forward, but this felt different somehow. She couldn’t exactly determine why, but Momo had seemed to quell her panic attack completely. And then she suddenly remembered why, as a blush formed on her cheeks. Mina squeezed Momo’s hand and give the woman a smile in return when she spared a glance away from the road. Jeongyeon’s words from this morning replayed over and over in Mina’s mind, and she was finally starting to believe them. There was no denying these feelings anymore. Mina had spent sleepless nights considering the idea that Momo seemed so enthusiastic about. The signs were all there, Mina was just unsure to take the leap of faith. Jeongyeon’s words came back to her again and Mina took a deep breath. Perhaps it was time for her to let herself be loved for once.

With her right hand, Mina reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Her thumb tapped against the screen as she navigated through her applications before typing something. Momo didn’t say anything. Instead, she shifted her eyes to the side whenever she could spare a glance away from driving. When she finally reached a red light, Momo turned her head completely to look at Mina. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off at the sight of Mina holding her phone up to her face. “Take me here,” Mina said firmly. Momo was stunned at the sudden brightness at first. However, her signature cocky smile soon pulled at the corner of her lips when she realized what was on the screen. The light turned green and Momo said nothing. Instead she just gave Mina a smile and continued to drive. Momo knew exactly which streets to take, which turns to make. She didn’t need an address for their destination because it was one of the most well-known spots in the city. Within ten minutes, Momo gave the steering wheel one last turn, pulling the car into a rather packed parking lot.

“I’ve never been here this late,” Momo said as she stepped out of the car, “And I usually just watch a movie at the theater and that’s it.” Mina closed the car door after she stood onto the asphalt of the parking lot. She looked at Momo from over the top of the car and gave her the widest gummy smile. “I come here a lot when I need to de-stress,” she said happily. Momo cocked her head to the side in slight confusion as she walked around the back of the car to join Mina. “I thought you danced at Breakthrough for that?” Momo questioned. As if they were on the same wavelengths, Momo and Mina’s hands found each other. Their fingers interlocked together as they walked toward a brightly lit building. “I do,” Mina said, bringing her free hand up to rub the inside of Momo’s arm as she walked with her, “But that was after dance became my job. I came here a lot in college before my career took off. It was a nice getaway for 12AM.” Momo smiled, partly because she was learning more about Mina, and partly because of how fondly she was touching her. The feeling of Mina’s soft hand gently rubbing her arm felt so natural, as if she had done the gesture for years before. “Still,” Momo said chuckling, “I would’ve never guessed you were big on video games.”

The two dancers finally entered the massive super mall, and was welcomed with loud music and bright lights. As a whole, the building was gigantic. However, there was only a portion of the building that was still unlocked to the public. While the shopping sections of the mall were closed at this time of night, the entertainment section was alive and well and welcomed all who were looking for some late night fun. The establishment had a wide array of options of entertainment for those who walked inside. On the bottom floor was a bowling alley and a small bar for the bowling alley’s patrons. The next floor up held a massive laser tag arena that could fit multiple parties at once. The floor above that held an expansive arcade, fully loaded with imported and local games and cabinets. And on the top floor was a movie theater that contained an eclectic selection from old to new movies.

Mina led the way to the elevator, a sudden pep in her step as she walked. She quickly pressed the button labeled ‘3’ and turned around to face the door. Momo followed Mina’s lead, holding onto her hand still as the elevator doors closed, encompassing them into a sudden silence. The time it took for the ‘1’ on the screen to turn into ‘2’ felt like an eternity. Momo soon realized that the silence between her and Mina was painfully awkward. As if reading her mind, Mina abruptly spoke, breaking the silence. “Hey,” she said, turning her head to look at Momo while the grip on her hand became a bit tighter, “About the dance earlier…” Momo quickly shook her head as she looked at Mina, a comforting, small smile appearing on her face. “We don’t have to talk about that, Mina,” she said, giving Mina’s hand a squeeze, “I don’t want to talk about anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

Mina’s mouth was open in shock. She had spent the silent car ride coming up with some sort of an excuse combined with an apology sprinkled with something along the lines of ‘the alcohol made me’, but she didn’t need anything of the sort. Mina’s mouth closed and formed a small smile instead. “Were you surprised?” she said, looking down at the tips of her boots. Momo chuckled. “Of course I was,” she said, “More than anyone else in that room.” Without realizing it, Mina’s thumb began to rub nervously against Momo’s hand as she continued to hold it. “It felt really nice,” said Mina bashfully, “To dance with you.” Momo’s confidence was suddenly torn to shreds from Mina’s words. Her mouth opened slightly, at a loss for words. She looked at Mina, even though she didn’t return her gaze. “Mina…?” Momo said, leaning closer. Mina finally looked up, pulling her eyes away from the ground to look at Momo. She was caught off guard at how close Momo seemed. Nonetheless, she looked back at her, those big brown eyes captivating her completely. “Yes?” Mina said in practically a whisper. Mina’s eyes darted about Momo’s face. She looked from the woman’s eyes, to her nose, then to her lips. Mina felt a lump form in her throat. She tried her best to swallow it, but it remained where it was. Mina licked her lips, then bit her bottom lip nervously before looking back up at Momo. The distance between them was getting smaller and smaller. Momo was so close to Mina now, that Mina could feel the warmth of the woman’s breath against her upper lip. Mina’s eyes were slowly coming to a close as she leaned forward against Momo.

**DING**

Mina and Momo both gasped, startled at the sound of the elevator. They both looked up and the screen had a single number on it. ‘3’ The elevator doors slowly opened, revealing the colorful landscape of the arcade. Momo turned to look at Mina and gave her a nervous smile. “Which game should we start with?” she said, breaking the silence between them. Mina laughed nervously, taking a step forward into the arcade. “Well first we have to load up a card with some credits,” she said, looking at Momo over her shoulder. Momo held up her free hand in defense and said, “Oho, look at you, Miss Expert.” Mina giggled, giving Momo a confident wink before leading her to the front counter. Although she didn’t want to, she had to let go of Momo’s hand to fish out her card case. “Thank god my outfit had pockets,” Mina said as she fumbled with the case in her fingers, “I wanted to bring a purse but Nayeon-unnie said it didn’t go with my outfit.” As if Momo wasn’t listening, she said politely, “Thank you!” and turned back to face Mina. Mina looked up from her hands, her arcade card was in her hand while she had a confused look on her face. “I knew you were gonna pay for it,” Momo said as she held out a brand new arcade card out to Mina, “So I beat you to it.” Mina looked down at the card and immediately gave Momo a displeased pout. “Momo!” she said. Mina then turned to look at the employee behind the desk and gave them a pout as well. “Shane!” she said. The employee gave Mina an exaggerated shrug as he smiled at her. “I saw you guys holding hands and I thought it was too cute to say no,” he said slyly, “Enjoy the night, you two!”

Momo waved and thanked the employee once again. “I can’t believe you,” Mina said laughing as she tucked her own card away, “We could’ve just used my card.” Momo laughed and said, “The fact that you have a card and keep it to re-use is incredibly adorable, Mina.” Mina’s breath hitched at the sudden compliment. A bright blush appeared on her face, but she quickly calmed herself before coming up with a fast response. “How many credits did you load onto there anyway?” Mina asked, pointing to the card in Momo’s hand. “A thousand,” Momo replied casually. “Momo!” Mina whined yet again, this time giving Momo’s shoulder a playful push, “That’s too much!” Momo laughed and just handed the card to Mina and said, “I wasn’t sure how fast you burn through credits, so I just got a lot to be safe.” Momo took Mina’s free hand into hers again. The action had felt so natural ever since Mina started holding her hand for the first time at the party just hours before. Mina didn’t object and rubbed Momo’s skin with her thumb again, returning the gesture warmly. “So what first?” Momo asked with a smile as she swiveled her head to look around at all the games.

The entire third floor consisted of the arcade and the arcade alone. There were areas where people could sit and rest, along with the prize wall for those who earned tickets from specific games, but every other space was occupied with a game cabinet. “Why don’t you choose?” Mina suggested, leaning against Momo slightly. Momo grimaced in nervousness as she looked around. Video games were such a casual thing for her, she wasn’t sure where to start. A certain game caught her eye and she started walking towards it. “This one looks fun,” she said in a hopeful tone as she stood in front of the machine. The machine was clearly a rhythm game, with its big screen, bright lights, interactive controller, and techno music blasting from its speakers. The controller resembled the shape of piano keys, only they were touch sensors that glowed and reacted to the touches and movements of the player. Mina reached down and swiped the card against the card reader, prompting the game to allow Momo to progress further in the menu. “I’m a dancer so a rhythm game shouldn’t be hard right?” Momo said nonchalantly as she let go of Mina’s hand. Mina just nodded at Momo. When Momo turned away to look at the screen, a smirk pulled at Mina’s lips. This was her favorite game.

Momo tapped the screen, selecting her difficulty and song. “So do I just press these when the squares come?” Momo asked with a raised eyebrow, looking at Mina for reassurance. Mina washed away her smirk for a warm smile the moment Momo turned around. “Exactly,” Mina said encouragingly. “Okay,” Momo said, looking back at the screen, “Piece of cake!” The song that Momo had selected began to blare through the machine’s speakers. Momo stood poised in front of the machine. Her feet were shoulder width apart as she bent her knees in preparation. When the squares started moving down the screen, Momo tapped the buttons that matched perfectly. The BPM of the song was fast, but the notes were sparing, easing Momo’s nerves to perform in front of Mina. “See?” she said confidently as she tapped the keys, “Piece of cake.” Mina giggled as she watched. “We’ll see about that,” she said in a sing-song voice. Momo rose her eyebrow in confusion as she continued to tap the keys, raising her combo one tap at a time. “What do you mean?” she asked. Momo was about to turn her head to look at Mina when she didn’t receive a response, but a barrage of notes started to cascade down the screen. “Ah!” Momo shrieked. Her hands moved fasted now, but they couldn’t keep up with the speed of the notes. The combo counter on the screen barely made it to ‘4’ before resetting back to zero as Momo’s movements became more frantic. The screen started to flash in a tint of red with each missed note. It took less than 30 seconds for the song to scratch like a record and the screen to display in giant letters: “FAILURE” Momo’s hands fell at her sides in defeat as she whined, “Yahh! That was too hard!” Mina giggled and put her hand on Momo’s shoulder. “Well that’s what you get for putting the difficulty so high,” she said, laughing still. Momo looked over her shoulder, giving Mina a pout of her own. “It looks a lot easier when you’re not actually doing it,” she whined. Mina laughed again and swiped the card once more against the card reader. “My turn!” she said excitedly.

Momo took a step back, allowing Mina to have her place in front of the machine. Mina stood relaxed in front of the console, tapping the screen with confidence as she navigated through the menus. She scrolled through the song list for a bit before finding one of her favorite [songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP3kwgZzARA). Her fingers were fast as they tapped through the customized options of the game. Despite how fast she moved, Momo was sure to note that Mina had selected the highest difficulty. Momo’s eyebrows rose, her expectations were set high. The difficulty level she had selected for herself was one step down from what Mina selected, with such confidence at that. The moment the menu disappeared Momo shifted her eyes to look at Mina. The ballerina was standing perfectly still. Her poise was almost like a robot as she hovered her hands above the controller, eyes focused on the screen. The song started at last, opening with smooth, serene sounding slides. The peaceful moment didn’t last long, however, as a flurry of notes started to come down the screen. Momo’s eyes widened at the speed of the numerous notes. She looked to Mina again, whose face only showed one emotion: pure joy. A smile was permanently painted onto Mina’s face as she tapped the keys in perfect sync with the notes and the music. Her head bobbed from side to side along with the music while her fingers danced with graceful precision on the keys. The combo displayed at the center of the screen steadily increased one by one as Mina tapped furiously against the keys. By the time the song ended, the combo didn’t reset once. Mina relaxingly sighed and removed her hands from the keys as the screen displayed in big letters: “PERFECT”

“Ahh..” Mina said as she turned to face Momo again, “I love this game.” Mina’s face was cheerful, but was quick to change to a worried one. Momo’s mouth was wide open, her eyes still staring at the screen as the post-song grades and statistics were displayed. Mina began to shrink into herself, her shoulders rising as her anxiety started to build. “Uhm…” she said quietly. Momo’s head snapped to look straight at Mina. “You’re amazing!” she said, “That was so cool!” Mina’s worries were instantly squashed at Momo’s reaction. “It’s..actually my favorite game,” Mina said, smiling bashfully. A warm feeling suddenly enveloped Mina’s hand. She looked down to see that Momo had taken her hand yet again. At this point, she couldn’t even count how many times their hands had been linked. She looked back up at Momo, who was beaming with awe and wonder. “Let’s play all of your favorites!” she said cheerfully. A familiar heat rose to Mina’s cheeks, but this time she made no effort to remove it. She felt a sense of pride as Momo’s eagerness to see her perform well in her favorite hobby gave her a happiness she couldn’t describe.

The next hour consisted mainly of Momo encouraging Mina to play every single game she wanted to play. Mina tried her best to get Momo involved in gameplay as well, but the joy on Momo’s face every time she finished with a perfect score was a sight that she couldn’t resist to be the cause of. Seeing Momo’s mouth agape as she became more and more impressed at Mina’s hidden skills for video games only made Mina want to play more. If it weren’t for the arcade closing at 1AM, Momo and Mina could’ve played every single game in the arcade twice and then some. When the warning for the closing of the arcade sounded in the speakers, Mina and Momo stopped what they were doing. Momo pulled out her phone and checked the time to confirm. She held up her phone, turning the screen to face Mina and said, “I can’t believe it’s this late already.” Mina looked at the time, a cute frown forming on her face. “I guess I should be getting back to the hotel,” she said, disappointed. “Hotel?” Momo questioned, “You still wanna go back to the party?” Mina swiftly shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “No no no!” she declined, “Nayeon-unnie knew that we’d all be drinking tonight, so she booked us all rooms at the hotel so we wouldn’t have to drive home.” Momo’s head rose in understanding. “Ohh,” she said, “That’s really nice of her.”

An awkward silence unexpectedly emerged between the two as the music of the arcade was cut off, signaling its close. Momo took Mina’s hand in hers again and started walking towards the exit. “C’mon,” she said, a tone of sadness in her voice, “Let’s get you back then.” Mina nodded silently and walked alongside Momo back out to the parking lot. No words were said between them as they made their way back to Momo’s car. Just as they were about to separate hands, Mina spoke up, her grip on Momo’s hand grew tighter. “Actually,” she said, pulling Momo’s attention. Momo stopped walking and turned to look at Mina. The worried look on Mina’s face only made Momo worried as well. “What’s wrong?” Momo asked, concerned. Mina looked down nervously. Her thumb rubbed against Momo’s skin as she tried to put words to her thoughts. “I’d much prefer to sleep in my own bed tonight instead of at the hotel. I rode in Jihyo’s car to the party so...Would it be okay if you...” Mina said, looking up as she trailed off, “Take me home?”

The car ride back to Mina’s house was a quiet one. The two were attached by the hand, of course, but they shared no words as Momo drove through the uncongested, late-night city streets. The only thing that could be heard was the soft lull of the radio as it played through the car speakers. Even that, though, was low enough that the sounds of the car running overcame it. As soon as Mina slid back into the car before the drive started, a million and one questions ran through her mind. She didn’t know what possessed her to ask such a bold request of Momo, but there was at least one thing she was certain of: she didn’t want Momo to leave. Momo on the other hand, was doing backflips in her mind. Her heart was pounding louder than her thoughts of pure joy and bliss. Over the three weeks of getting to know Mina, she knew better than anyone how hard it was for Mina to let new people into her love, especially a love interest. She had doubts before, but tonight settled those doubts the moment Mina held her hand for the first time of the night all the way back to the beginning of Nayeon’s party. Momo had told Jihyo that she planned on staying, and it only encouraged Momo more as Mina continued to let her into her fragile heart.

It took about 20 minutes for them to finally arrive at Mina’s house. Momo didn’t need directions, much to Mina’s insistence. She had only visited the home once, but once was enough for her to take the effort to memorize the route on her phone. The drive would’ve been shorter, had it not been for every single traffic light being red and refusing to turn green. Neither Mina nor Momo minded it, however, as it extended their time together. Even though their time in the car was silent, it was a peaceful silence, and neither of them dared to break it. Momo pulled up to an empty section of the curb and stopped the car. Without the running sounds of the car, the silence overwhelmed the two completely. After a moment, Momo spoke up, but so did Mina.

“Let me walk you to your door,” said Momo.  
“Would you like to come in?” said Mina.

Both of them quickly shut their mouths. Between their shared shocked expressions, Mina’s was stronger. Mina quickly spoke, and Momo somehow spoke along with her again.

“Or to the door, that’s fine,” Mina said.  
“Yeah, I’d love to come in,” Momo said.

Once again, the two looked at each other in shock and surprise. Their expressions soon changed, however, as they both started laughing. Neither of them dared to break eye contact, even as they laughed. When the moment passed, Mina spoke yet again.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked, firmly this time. Momo nodded and said, “Yeah, I’d love to come in.”

Momo and Mina stepped out of the car, closed their doors, and came together by the hand again. Mina led the way up the driveway and around the corner to the door. She regrettably let go of Momo’s hand and crouched down to pick up the fake plant out of its pot before setting it aside. She reached down and picked up the spare key that rested at the bottom of the pot and opened the door. After setting the key safely back in its spot at the bottom of the pot, she placed the fake plant back into the pot and stepped inside the home. Momo followed behind her, closing the door. Mina instinctively took off her shoes at the door, prompting Momo to do the same. As Mina started to turn on the lights, the home illuminated with a warm glow that made Momo look up in awe. “Even your house is amazing, Minari,” she said as she looked around at the various furnishings. Even the materials that the house itself was made of were impressive. The flooring was either hardwood or tile, and a grand chandelier hung above the staircase. “Would you like a tour? You only saw the living room last time,” Mina said, taking Momo’s hand in hers again. “Of course I would!” Momo said excitedly.

Mina walked through the home slowly, showing Momo the various common spaces on the first floor. Two living rooms, a dining room, and a kitchen comprised the first floor. What impressed Momo the most, however, was the size of the kitchen. The counter wrapped around three walls, surrounding an island in the center. “I like to bake, so we wanted a house with a good kitchen,” Mina said as they exited the kitchen. “Upstairs are all of our rooms,” she explained as she led the way to the staircase. The top landing was the first sign of carpet that Momo had seen so far. “Ever since Nayeon and Jeongyeon started dating, Nayeon sleeps in Jeongyeon’s room now, so we just use Nayeon’s old room as a guest room. If it’s too late for you, you can stay the night in her room if you want.” Before Momo could say anything in response, Mina continued her tour. “Jihyo’s room is right here. She used to have the master, but she switched with Jeongyeon and Nayeon so they could have a bigger room. She’s always looking out for us. And this is my room,” she said, opening a door.

The soothing aroma of lavender filled Momo’s nose. She walked into Mina’s room slowly, as if just walking along the carpet would disturb the peacefulness of the room. Mina stopped to look back at Momo. She gave her hand a playful tug as she smiled at her. “Don’t be shy, it’s just my room,” she said casually. Momo smiled, Mina’s blaisé mood making her chuckle. When Mina was comfortable enough, all of her emotional worries and concern were truly non-existent. It comforted Momo knowing that Mina felt so relaxed around her. It reinforced the idea that she was making the right choices when she was around her.

Momo chuckled as she looked around the room. “You really are the Penguin Queen,” Momo said, looking at all of the penguin plushies that lived in every occupiable spot in Mina’s room. Mina smiled and said, “My fans like to give me gifts after my shows.” Momo laughed and replied, “It’s a shame we couldn’t win that penguin plush in that claw machine.” Mina pouted as she was reminded of how many credits they managed to use in the span of five minutes. “It would’ve been so perfect on my bed,” she said, disappointed. “Mina, that plush was the size of a beanbag chair, you wouldn’t even have room to sleep on your bed,” Momo laughed. “It would’ve been the perfect cuddle buddy,” Mina said, pouting cutely. “Cuddle with me instead,” Momo said without skipping a beat.

Mina suddenly became flustered, Momo’s comment raiding her heartbeat. Momo instantly regretted her words and said, “I’m sorry, too fast?” Mina looked up at Momo and shook her head. “No it’s not that it’s just…” she said, trailing off. Momo waited eagerly for Mina to finish her sentence, only to be met with Mina’s forehead as she looked down at the ground. Momo took a step closer to Mina and took her other hand in hers, holding both of her hands lightly. “Am I wrong to think this is something?” Momo asked. Mina shook her head again. “It’s not that,” she said, still looking down, “It’s just that…” Momo waited again for Mina to finish, but was met with silence once again. “It’s just that what?” Momo asked after a long pause. Mina sighed and finally said, “It’s just that the last time I had feelings for someone, they didn’t feel the same way. They would do things that made me think they did, but they didn’t and I...I don’t know. I don’t want a repeat of that. I’m just...scared.” Momo gave Mina’s hands two firm squeezes and said, “Hey.” Mina finally looked up from her feet, meeting Momo’s gaze. As much as she wanted to look away and shrink into herself again, she couldn’t. Momo’s brown eyes enraptured her upon first sight, and she wouldn’t dare to look away. Mina didn’t say anything. Instead, she looked at Momo with worried eyes. Questioning eyes. Scared eyes.

“If I wanted to leave I wouldn’t have come inside,” Momo said softly. Mina was silent as she continued to look at Momo. The expression in her eyes remained the same. “What do I need to do for you to understand that I’m here to stay?” Momo said, stepping closer to Mina. Their fingers were fiddling with each other now, as if to tease each other to make the first move. Momo was eager to close the gap between them, to finally do what she had been wanting to do all night. But she kept her distance, and waited for Mina to say anything. To do anything. Momo wanted this, she just wanted to confirm that Mina was comfortable in wanting the same thing. “I don’t know…” Mina whispered, her eyes hazy as her thoughts ran rampant in her mind. The silence between them was heavy and thick like honey, but it wasn’t nearly as sweet. Momo pulled Mina closer to her, their bodies completely touching now. “You know,” Momo said, leaning forward, “There’s no elevator to interrupt us here.” Mina took in a deep breath as she felt the heat of Momo’s body against hers. The warmth of Momo’s breath tickled her upper lip again as they were as close as they were back in the elevator. “Give me a reason,” Momo whispered, inching closer and closer. As Momo spoke, her lips just barely grazed against Mina’s. That little amount of contact alone was enough to send a warm sensation throughout Mina’s body. Her heartbeat was just as loud as Momo’s breathing and she felt another lump form in her throat. Momo lingered, her eyes looking directly at Mina’s eyelids as the other continued to look down. She waited a moment longer for a reply from Mina, but the only reaction she received were the grips of Mina’s fingers as they played and locked together with her own. Momo took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, pulling away.

Momo’s body froze as she felt something grip the collar of her top. She looked down and saw Mina’s fists holding onto her tightly. Momo took in a breath to say something, but she wasn’t given a chance to release it as she felt something warm against her lips. Her eyes widened as her eyes attempted to process exactly what was going on. Mina pulled Momo closer, as close as she could and leaned forward, pressing her lips hard against Momo’s. That was all she needed. Momo’s hands shot up and grabbed Mina’s waist. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss with the same amount of force Mina gave. Momo’s heartbeat had spiked higher than it ever had before. The feeling of Mina against her lips felt as if she was free falling through cloud after cloud. Despite the force behind it, Mina’s lips were soft and gentle. Her kiss was sweet and filled her with such indescribable bliss that her mind filled with only one thought: Mina.

Mina firmly held onto Momo, refusing to let go. Every conversation they had, every time she would look into Momo’s eyes and feel nothing but bottomless warmth, it all led up to this point. Mina was holding onto her breath, scared to break the kiss by something as essential as breathing. She forced her eyes shut as hard as she could, channeling the rest of her strength to convey to Momo what she had been wanting to since she realized that Momo was all she wanted. Was this enough? Was she enough? There was only one way to find out.

Momo moved to pull away, but Mina’s grip held her in place. Before she knew it, she felt something warm and soft against her cheeks. Mina held onto Momo’s face with such gentle ferocity that Momo almost sank to her knees at the feeling. Momo leaned forward, sighing into another kiss with Mina. Her hands moved to Mina’s stomach as she gently pushed her back while she stepped forward. Mina moved along with Momo, stepping back closer and closer to her bed while they stayed connected at the lips. The kiss was getting rougher now, the heavy sounds of their breaths getting louder as they continued. Mina fell back onto her bed, their lips finally separating. Momo made no hesitation to lay on top of Mina, straddling her sides with her legs. They had only been separated for less than a second, but Mina reached out and grabbed Momo’s cheeks. With a single pull, their lips crashed again and Momo let out a low moan at Mina’s eagerness.

The only sounds that could be heard in the room were Momo and Mina’s sighs and the shuffling sound of clothes as they both ran their hands over each other’s bodies. Their kiss became breathless as they fought each other over who was kissing who. All of a sudden, Momo pulled away. The wet sound of their lips separating pierced the air as Mina stared up at Momo in confusion. “Mina wait,” Momo said, an air of worry in her voice, “We don’t have to go this fast if you don’t want to. Believe me, I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a while now, but I don’t want to mess this up by being too eager.”

Without warning Momo felt herself topple over. Mina had pushed her to the side and rolled over so she was the one straddling Momo now. Momo looked up at Mina, who looked both seductive and scared at the same time. Mina leaned forward and placed her elbows firmly at the sides of Momo’s head as she held herself just inches from Momo’s face. “You have consumed every single thought in my mind since the day I met you, Hirai Momo,” Mina said, her tone somewhat authoritative. “I tried not to like you. I tried not to fall for you. I tried to put up my walls, but I couldn’t,” she continued, “Because deep down I wanted you to break them. I thought that if there was anyone in this world that could do that...If there’s anyone that could ease my worries just enough for me to feel something for someone again, it would be you.”

Momo’s body was paralyzed as she listened to Mina. Her hands were on the ballerina’s hips, but they remained completely still. The sheer intensity in Mina’s eyes as she looked down at her rendered Momo’s muscles useless. Mina’s face was so close to hears, the heat from her body paled in comparison to the heat from her ragged breaths against her skin. In this moment with Mina, she only had control over one thing, and that was her voice. “You have no idea what you do to me, Myoui Mina,” Momo whispered, “How much I think about you. How much I want to be with you. How much I _want_ you.” Momo didn’t think Mina could get any closer without them kissing again, but she was greatly mistaken as Mina suddenly reduced the gap between them in half. Mina then whispered, her next words pierced through Momo’s heart so strongly that she felt herself melt against the bedsheets.

“Then _have_ me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be ON TIME for once. I have it outlined already!!! Expect an update on TUESDAY <3
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Caroline, who has been on my ass about this since the start of our friendship. CHEERS BRO


	11. Savor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momo and Mina spend the night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E N J O Y
> 
> T H E
> 
> S M U T

The word ‘have’ will never be the same for Hirai Momo ever again. Hearing Mina practically claw the word out of her mouth ignited a fire within Momo. Like a gunshot, she was triggered forward and crashed her lips against Mina’s once again. Her hands moved up and down Mina’s sides as she pressed and pressed and pressed her lips against hers over and over again. Mina hungrily accepted the kiss. She moved her hands to grab Momo’s face by her cheeks as her head bobbed with every kiss that she returned. Momo slid her right hand down Mina’s body and grabbed her from behind the crook of her knee. She curled her fingers around Mina’s thigh and pulled her leg even closer to her. With her left hand, she stroked the small of Mina’s lower back lovingly, using her fingernails to lightly trail against her skin. Mina pulled her head back, breaking the kiss she shared with Momo only to let out a quiet sigh. Momo looked up at Mina and grinned that same smug grin that she always had. She licked her lips before biting the bottom one as she saw Mina writhe to the touch.

“This crop top sweater is the sexiest thing,” Momo said with hazy eyes. Mina was focusing on keeping what little composure she had, but visibly struggled as Momo’s touches made her weak. “It’s been a while since someone has touched me like this, okay?” Mina said, rather embarrassed. “Mmm…” Momo hummed. She moved her right hand up to Mina’s face and lightly touched her skin with the tips of her fingers. “I’ll touch you as much as you want, Minari,” she whispered. And that was it, Mina felt the last ounce of composure that she had slip away from her just from Momo’s words. She sighed again, eyebrows furrowed slightly as she felt her body heat increase. Mina looked down at Momo with yearning eyes. “_Touch me_...” she whispered as she hovered her face directly above Momo’s. Momo licked her lips again. Her own breathing became ragged as Mina’s pure lust caused her to melt. Momo pushed forward swiftly, stealing a quick, yet passionate kiss with Mina once again. “With pleasure,” Momo whispered.

Momo quickly moved her hands down to Mina’s hips. With a single push and turn of her body, she turned Mina to lie on her back as she rolled to sit on top of her. Without hesitation, Momo’s hands found Mina’s bare stomach. She pushed down against her body while sliding her hands up her ribs. When the tips of her fingers found the end of Mina’s bra, she curled her fingers and pulled them back down Mina’s stomach. Mina looked up at Momo with half-lidded eyes. The feeling of her hands moving up her body made her arch her back, as if to push herself into the touch more. When she felt her fingernails drag back down, her back fell back onto the bed as she let out a protesting moan. “Momo please,” Mina moaned, her fingers hooked to the back of Momo’s knees. She pulled on Momo’s legs pleadingly while her eyes begged with a dripping gaze.

Momo’s eyes snapped back up to look at Mina’s. She gave the girl a sly smirk, happy to oblige. Momo hooked her thumbs around the hem of Mina’s hoodie. She pushed the top upwards, pushing it past her breasts and shoulders. Mina moaned at the cold sensation she felt. Her skin was suddenly exposed to the open air, but the chill alone wasn’t the only thing that sent shivers down her spine. Momo continued to push the top upwards, but stopped suddenly when it reached Mina’s wrists. Momo held the sweater in place above Mina’s head as she looked down at her. Mina wriggled under Momo’s grasp, but found no luck in breaking free from the fabric handcuffs. Her eyes widened slightly at the realization of her position and she looked up at Momo for answers. Momo shifted her hand slightly, linking the ends of her fingers with Mina’s as she leaned forward and took Mina’s lips into her own again. Mina moaned into the kiss, her fingers holding tight onto what little of Momo’s skin she could feel. Momo slid her tongue out and swiped it across Mina’s lips as if to ask permission to enter. Without even thinking, Mina’s mouth opened in a ragged breath and she stuck her own tongue out, connecting with Momo’s as they descended into a sloppy kiss. Their tongues danced in each other’s mouths for a moment before Momo pulled away to completely take off Mina’s top.

As she straddled Mina below, Momo sat up and looked down at Mina as she was exposed from the waist up. Mina’s breaths were fast and unsteady. With her hands and arms now free, they moved on their own to cover up her stomach and her chest. Momo shook her head and leaned back down. She gently took Mina’s wrists and moved her arms away from her body. “You’re absolutely stunning, Mina, you shouldn’t be ashamed of it,” she said, giving her a kiss after. Mina chuckled and shook her head. “It’s just been so long…” she said bashfully, shifting her eyes to look away as she flattened her lips in discomfort. Momo frowned, but quickly shifted back to an encouraging smile. “All you need to do is say so, and I’ll stop. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Momo said, moving one of her hands to brush Mina’s hair away from her face. Mina shook her head in protest and said, “I want this!” Momo’s head reeled back slightly at the sudden outburst, a smile pulling at her lips. Mina instantly shrunk back into herself and said, “Sorry, I just...Really want this, but I don’t want to mess anything up. I’m...out of practice.” Momo smiled and moved both of her hands to cup Mina’s face. “Then let me go first,” she said, looking into Mina’s eyes warmly, “So you can have some inspiration.” Mina looked at Momo with scared eyes. It had been years since she was in such an intimate setting. She didn’t want to embarrass herself, but the encouraging words from Momo put her worries at ease. The feeling of Momo’s thumb idly rubbing back and forth against Mina’s cheek slowly pulled her from her anxious thoughts and she nodded. “Okay,” she said with confidence.

Momo smiled and moved upwards. Mina had a look of confusion on her face, but it was quickly replaced with a warm smile as she felt Momo’s lips gently press against her forehead. Momo pushed herself to sit up. She crossed her arms over her stomach and grabbed the hem of her own top before lifting it up and over her head. She tossed her top over the edge of the bed, revealing the bra she wore underneath. Mina froze as she saw Momo sitting exposed on top of her. Her eyes started at the bottom, noticing how Momo’s abs poked through her skin if she flexed the right way. Her eyes moved up, admiring Momo’s pale skin before finally landing on her white strapless bra. “Jeez, Mina,” Momo said giggling, “If I knew you were going to eat me with your eyes, I wouldn’t have even worn a bra today.” Mina laughed, her hands reaching up to touch Momo’s stomach fondly. “You’re hot, okay?” she joked, “Forgive me for wanting to stare.” Momo laughed, but this time it was more sinister. She leaned back down over Mina’s body and lightly caressed her bottom lip with the tip of her finger. “The only thing you’ll be staring at, is the back of your eyelids,” she growled. Mina gasped at the sudden tease, her hands on Momo’s stomach curled to grab her waist wantingly.

Momo leaned even further and started to pepper kisses along Mina’s jawline. Mina turned her head to the side, allowing Momo more access as she moaned with every kiss. With every touch of Momo’s lips to Mina’s skin, there was a burst of electricity that ran through both of them. They both reacted to each other as if touching creating so much raw energy that they could explode from the sensations alone. Momo’s hands snaked under Mina’s back and made quick work of her bra hook. She then grabbed her bra with one hand and tossed it to the side. Mina gasped again, the cold air that touched her exposed nipples giving her goosebumps. Momo wasted no time in taking one of Mina’s nipples into her mouth. One of her hands gripped onto the back of Mina’s shoulder from under her while the other took a handful of Mina’s other beast into a grip that moved in a slow circle. The feeling of Momo’s hot tongue against such a sensitive spot sent Mina’s body into wave after wave of pleasure. The sounds that escaped her lips were completely unfiltered now. “Oh my god…” she moaned. “Momo…” she breathed. “That feels…” she whispered.

Momo grinned as she heard the effects of her work. She took Mina’s nipple into her mouth and sucked hard while she pulled her face away. She let go of her nipple with a satisfying _pop_, earning a hitch in breath from Mina. Mina rose her head to say something, but found herself back against the pillow when Momo decided to switch sides and do it all over again. Mina’s hands found Momo’s bra this time. She gathered enough strength amidst the waves of pleasure to say, “This is in the way.” Momo had no time to react. Mina’s fingers moved precisely to unhook her bra and before she knew it, her chest was also exposed. Before she could say anything cheeky, Momo felt a pinch against both of her nipples and all of her movements were put on pause. A moan fell out of Momo’s mouth as she herself fell forward to the touch. Mina licked her lips as she looked down at the top of Momo’s head. She grinned as she enjoyed how Momo relished in her touch, but her cockiness was soon squashed when she felt something much firmer against her own nipples. Mina immediately let go of Momo’s nipples and pushed against the woman’s shoulders slightly. “Was that…teeth?” Mina started. “I’m sorry,” Momo quickly chimed, “I got carried away. I won’t do it aga-” Momo stopped the moment she felt Mina pull her face up. Mina hooked her fingers around the nape of Momo’s neck as she forcefully pulled the woman back up to her face. “That felt amazing,” Mina said breathlessly. She pushed forward and gave Momo a firm kiss before saying, “Don’t stop.”

A wide smile pulled Momo’s lips from ear to ear as she watched Mina give in to her desires. It was a side that she never knew Mina had, and felt honored that she was given the privilege to experience it. The best part about it all was that she knew she would be the only one that could witness _this_ Myoui Mina. Momo moved back down Mina’s body, firmly pressing her lips against her with every inch. She started with Mina’s jawline again, moving down her neck, across her collar bones, and between her breasts. When she reached her stomach, Momo continued to kiss Mina in various places while her hands worked on removing her skirt. Mina’s body writhed against Momo’s touches. Her back arched as she felt her skirt travel down her legs, leaving her in just a pair of panties and thigh high socks. Momo, however, went on an undressing spree and hurried to pull the remaining clothes off of Mina’s body. When she was completely naked, Momo sat up, kneeling on the bed as she admired the beauty in front of her.

Mina was still feeling the aftereffects of Momo’s touches when she realized that the touches she desired had momentarily stopped. She looked up to find Momo staring at her, speechless. Mina giggled and said, “Who’s eating who with their eyes now, Momoring?” Momo grinned at the playfulness from Mina and lowered her body on top of hers again. The feeling of Momo’s bare skin against hers gave her a sense of warmth but also a burning heat that she craved. Mina’s smile disappeared as soon as she felt something hot between her legs. She looked down and noticed that all she could see was the top of Momo’s head. Her legs were spread, but the hot feeling she felt between them made her wiggle to close them. Momo picked her head up to look up at Mina with a smile. “Easy there, Minari, I haven’t even started yet,” she said. Momo moved her head back down and resumed what she was doing. Lightly, she kissed Mina’s lips with her own, pressing firmly against each side of her soft mound. Mina brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she moaned. With her free hand she pressed her palm against Momo’s scalp.

Momo looked up as she held her face against Mina’s mound. Slowly, she pushed her tongue forward, running it lightly between Mina’s lips. The sight of Mina’s eyes rolling back into her head as her head crashed back into the pillow is one that Momo would remember forever. Momo smiled and pushed further, a sweet taste hitting the tip of her tongue. In that moment, Momo wanted nothing more than to taste all of it. She lapped her tongue forward again, this time completely separating Mina’s lips and taking a tongueful of her nectar. A loud moan escaped Mina’s lips and she writhed against the touch again. Her hand went from pressing against Momo’s head to taking a fistful of her hair. Momo smiled at the feeling of her own hair being pulled. She placed her hands against the top of Mina’s thighs and pulled her closer before completely diving in.

It took little effort for Momo to find Mina’s clit with her tongue, and once she did, she quickly flicked her tongue back and forth against the sensitive bud. Mina’s mind was nothing but a mess of bliss and pleasure. She pulled her hand away from her mouth, allowing her moans to sound at full volume now. Instead she reached up and grabbed a handful of her pillow. She felt every muscle continuously contract at the same time as something built up in the pit of her torso. Momo ceased her tongue for a moment to take Mina’s clit completely into her mouth, sucking on it lightly. Mina moaned at the sensation and pulled Momo’s hair even harder. Without skipping a beat, Momo switched back to flicking her tongue. Mina’s breath hitched at the sudden change, but she didn’t oppose it in the slightest. The quick transition increased the building heat in her hips tenfold. She hadn’t even realized how long her eyes had been closed as the pleasure completely enveloped her entire body. Every touch of Momo’s tongue against her sent her further and further into ecstasy, she had a hard time remembering to even breathe.

Momo flicked faster now, squeezing Mina’s thighs in her hands. The feeling of Momo pulling her closer made Mina feel even more wanted and desired by the woman, which added to her own pleasure. Without warning, something within Mina quickly grew and grew until it became too overwhelming to contain. Mina gasped deeply and bucked her hips as her moans bounced off the walls of her bedroom. Both of her hands gripped even tighter to what they were holding onto. She threw her head back into the pillow as her back arched high above the bed. Momo kept her pace against Mina’s clit as she gripped onto her thighs harder. Every lap of her tongue carried Mina higher and higher into her orgasm. A storm of energy sparked through Mina’s body with every pulse of pleasure that expelled from her. Even as she lied weak on the bed when she came down from her high, a strong pulse ran throughout her muscles, with her mound between her legs as the epicenter. Momo slowly released her grip on Mina’s thighs as she came back down. She pulled her face from between her legs, keeping her tongue out to lightly glide along her outer lips. Mina’s body shuddered at the gentle touch, still sensitive from her climax. Momo giggled and pulled her tongue back, savoring Mina’s taste by licking her own lips clean from her lingering taste. “You’re delicious,” Momo teased with a grin as she looked up at Mina.

Mina’s chest quickly rose and fell as she heaved, still breathless from her orgasm. She looked down at Momo with a weak smile and said, “Please don’t ruin this.” Momo giggled again and crawled back up Mina’s body, wiping the excess off her chin with the back of her hand. “What? Would you rather me say ‘delectable’?” she said smiling. Mina laughed and brought her hands up to cover her face. “Oh my god, just shut up already,” she pouted. Momo placed her elbow next to Mina’s head to hold herself up. With her free hand she ran her fingers through Mina’s hair as she looked down at her. “You’re beautiful, Mina,” she whispered sweetly. Mina moved her hands away from her face to look up at Momo. She pushed her cheek into Momo’s palm in a loving gesture and smiled. Momo expected a reply along the same lines, but Mina surprised her yet again.

A sudden surge vibrated throughout Momo’s body as she felt something between her legs. Mina had somehow slipped her hand between her stomach and the waistband of her shorts. Her hand was pressed strongly against her mound as Mina rubbed against Momo in a wave-like motion. Taken so suddenly by the feeling, Momo fell onto her side next to Mina. One of her hands gripped onto the bed sheet while the other grabbed onto Mina’s wrist. She didn’t pull Mina’s hand from out of her shorts, but rather, she kept her hand there while her hips mindlessly grinded against the touch. With her free hand, Mina cupped Momo’s cheek and commanded, “_Off._”

Momo didn’t think twice, her hands moved before her mind could catch up. Momo unbuttoned her shorts and frantically pulled them off her. After repeating the same process with her panties, she was at Mina’s mercy. Mina smiled and bit her lower lip as she watched Momo become helpless to her touch. With her middle finger, Mina pushed in between her folds. Momo gasped at the feeling as it felt like it happened in slow motion. Slowly, Mina ran her finger upwards, tracing Momo’s opening with the tip of her finger. Momo groaned and reached for Mina’s wrist again. She pulled her hand closer to her while she grinded her hips again, trying her best to increase any friction possible. Mina grinned at Momo’s eagerness. Had she been in a more playful mood, she would’ve teased her as much as she was teased when it was her turn. But, all Mina wanted was for Momo to feel what she felt. 

Mina trailed her finger even further upwards and found Momo’s clit. At the faintest touch, Momo’s body seemed to give in and melt against the bed. She tried her best to stay lying on her side, but the pleasure was too great for her to withstand, so she settled for laying on her back. Mina propped herself up on her elbow, hovering her face over Momo’s as her finger fell into a rhythm. Momo’s eyes rolled back as she closed them, allowing Mina to do what she wanted. Mina rubbed Momo’s clit in circles at a steady pace. She watched Momo’s face in pure bliss as it moved and scrunched with every single one of Mina’s movements. Without warning, Mina doubled her speed and rubbed her finger back and forth against Momo’s clit. Momo’s eyes shot open at the burst of pleasure and she looked up at Mina with a cloudy gaze. “Oh my god…” Momo moaned as her thighs squeezed together. Mina kept her pace, regardless of how Momo’s legs moved around her hand.

Just as Momo had done, Mina didn’t hesitate to change her motions in an instant. In a matter of seconds, Mina stopped rubbing Momo’s clit, prompting a whiny whimper from the woman. Mina said nothing as she aligned her fingers in front of Momo’s entrance. Slowly, she pushed her middle finger inside. With every centimeter that entered Momo, her back arched more and more. When she felt Mina’s knuckles against her outer lips, Momo’s body fell into a trembling mess onto the bed. Momo turned her head to look at Mina with half lidded eyes as she took Mina’s face into her hands. Mina slowly pulled her finger out of Momo, stopping at her first knuckle before plunging back inside her. Momo gasped at the lasting feeling of Mina’s finger inside her. Momo’s fingers dug into Mina’s cheeks as she felt a pace starting. Mina pushed and pulled her slender finger in and out of Momo in a steady rhythm. Yet another moan stained the walls of Mina’s bedroom as Momo let her body react how it wanted to. “Fuck, Mina…” she hissed as her body squirmed along with Mina’s movements. Mina couldn’t help but grin at Momo’s words along with her reactions. She quickly picked up her pace, pushing and pulling against Momo much faster now. Momo pulled Mina toward her, closing the gap between them by pressing their lips together. With every push, Momo moaned and Mina tasted it in her mouth. Their tongues found each other again and Mina found pleasure in knowing that she was inside Momo in two different places.

Momo couldn’t take it anymore. She held onto Mina’s face with one hand still, but moved her other to rub her yearning clit between her legs. As Mina’s finger pumped in and out of her, she matched Mina’s pace as she rubbed her finger against her own clit. Both Mina and Momo breathed hard against one another even as they kissed. Fast spurts of air escaped their noses while their mouths refused to part. Momo took Mina’s lower lip into her mouth and scraped her teeth against it as she pulled her mouth away. Mina’s eyes opened to watch Momo bite her lip and she moaned at the sight of it. She returned the action to Momo, taking her lower lip in between her teeth. As she pulled away, her finger pulled out of Momo completely. Momo continued to rub her clit desperately as she whined yet again. Her protest didn’t last long, however, as Mina inserted herself back into Momo, only this time she added her index finger along with her middle. The feeling of two fingers pushing inside of her was more than enough for Momo. Her fingers rubbed her clit back and forth as the pent up pressure between her legs finally exploded throughout her body. A loud, continuous moan bounced off the walls as Momo’s hips bucked out. Mina held her fingers inside Momo as she rode her orgasm fully. Her hips were pushed up, but they grinded against the air as she felt wave after wave of pleasure flood through every muscle. Momo let out one last whimper before her body fell back onto the bed.

The only sound that could be heard in the room now were the ragged breathing of both Mina and Momo. Momo’s eyes were closed, a feverish tint had painted her cheeks as the heat from the pleasure made itself known. Her deep, heaving breaths were replaced with a single hitch in her throat as Mina finally started to pull out of Momo completely. When Mina’s fingers were no longer inside, Momo’s body relaxed completely. The pulses of lingering energy from her orgasm continued to beat against her body as she slowly caught her breath. When she opened her eyes, Mina had her tongue in between her own fingers. Momo couldn’t take her eyes away as she watched Mina lick herself clean from Momo’s juices that covered her. Her tongue slid against her fingers slowly. She didn’t dare miss a single drop. As Mina’s tongue cleaned off the last bit of Momo’s nectar, Mina looked down at Momo and said with a grin, “You’re delicious.”

A wide smile appeared on Momo’s face and she quickly hid behind her hands. “Okay, you can stop now,” Momo said giggling. Mina giggled and lied beside Momo, turned onto her side to look at her. Momo followed her lead and turned onto her side, looking at Mina as she still tried to catch her breath. “So…” Momo said nervously, “Does this mean we’re…?” Mina giggled and smiled at Momo. She reached up and gently placed her hand on her cheek. “Yes,” Mina said, scooting closer to Momo, “We are.” Momo smiled and wrapped her arms around Mina’s waist. The two looked into each other’s eyes and enjoyed the peaceful silence that formed between them. Mina’s eyes closed first, her thumb softly rubbing back and forth against Momo’s cheek. Momo followed suit, closing her eyes as the tips of her fingers traced up and down Mina’s spine. They didn’t need to open their eyes to find each other’s lips again. Their kisses were softer now, as exhaustion and need for sleep gradually consumed them. When they finally parted, their lips lightly grazed against each other as they whispered to each other.

“Goodnight, Mina.”  
“Goodnight, Momo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, the smut is here! I really enjoyed writing this one, and I hope you guys did too <3
> 
> Fear not, there will be more smut in this fic in future updates ;D
> 
> See you guys on Tues for the next update~


	12. Good Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after Nayeon's party, and everyone has nothing but questions they want answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK!!!
> 
> Thank you all so much for being incredibly patient with me.  
My IRL life got in the way a LOT for these past couple months, so my fics had to be put on the side until I figured things out both in my life and in my creativity.
> 
> My hope is that this chapter flows smoothly from the previous chapter despite the long hiatus in between posting. I will most likely return to my normal posting schedule by the end of this month ^^
> 
> Enjoy the update~

The rumble of a car was the only sound along a quiet street. It was 10AM on a Sunday morning and Jihyo was behind the wheel of a rather luxurious car as she drove through a neighborhood. Her hands pulled the steering wheel to make a final turn into an empty driveway, and she parked the car safely before removing the keys from the ignition. When she pushed the door open, she was met with a chilly autumn air that sent shivers down her spine. She hurriedly grabbed her things from the passenger seat and closed the door. As soon as she looked up, however, she noticed an unfamiliar car parked along the sidewalk directly in front of her home. Jihyo quickly dismissed the thought as she said to herself, “Probably a college party down the street.” The house that she currently shared with three of her closest friends was once a college house itself. Once the girls graduated, they decided to keep the home, as the memories that came to be during their college days were too cherished for the four of them to let the home go so easily. It was common for college students to rent homes together, especially homes that were within driving distance of the city’s main university, so unfamiliar cars from house parties was a common sight for Jihyo and her friends.

Jihyo picked up her pace and quickly pulled out her keys. As she approached the front door, her attention was brought to her phone, which was ringing loudly in her purse. Jihyo scoffed irritatedly as she was forced to switch her keys for her phone in her hand. She quickly answered the call and pressed her phone against her cheek with the help of her shoulder. “Good morning, sunshine,” she said sarcastically while unlocking the front door at last.

On the other side of the city, in a vast hotel room was Nayeon sitting in only a silk robe. With her personal phone in one hand, she hung up the hotel’s phone with the other and said, “Hey, have you heard from Mina at all? I just called the front desk asking if the rooms were used and they said you had checked out already, but the room that was supposed to be Mina’s was never checked into.”

Jihyo’s attention was split in half as she stepped into the home. She fumbled with her bags in one hand while pushing the front door to a close with her hip. “Minari? The last she texted me was that she was leaving the party with Momo. Maybe they crashed at her place. Did you try texting Tzuyu first?”

“I did, but she’s not answering. She has an archery event today and it started two hours ago,” Nayeon said as she stood up from the bed. A hand shot up from the covers, grabbing Nayeon’s free wrist. Her head snapped back while a wide grin spread across her face. “Come back to bed, bunny,” mumbled a hungover Jeongyeon. Nayeon giggled and happily obliged.

“Judging by that giggle, I assume Jeong’s awake. Tell her sex can wait,” Jihyo teased as she set her bags down and pulled off her shoes.

Nayeon rolled her eyes as she scooted further down into the covers. With one hand she kept her phone pressed against her ear while she opened up her free arm. Jeongyeon rolled over and placed her head comfortably on Nayeon’s shoulder, pushing her face into the crook of her neck. Nayeon brought her arm back down to wrap around Jeongyeon’s shoulder as the woman continued to snuggle up against her. The feeling of their bare skin touching from head to toe was both warm and loving. “Just wants cuddles,” Nayeon corrected Jihyo, “But back to Mina. Is she home? I just want to make sure she slept somewhere safe last night.”

Jihyo failed to notice the extra pair of shoes at the front door before craning her head upwards to check for any sort of movement. It was barely 10AM, and Mina was always up by at least 9AM most days. “I didn’t see her car outside,” she said as she started her way up the stairs, “But I’ll check her room just in case she got an Uber or something. Hold on.” Jihyo lowered her phone from her face as she approached Mina’s door. The door to her room was open, which was unusual for the ballerina. “Mina?” Jihyo whispered softly as she slowly pushed her head into the doorway. A head of black hair could be seen poking out from the bedsheets and a small smile made its way to Jihyo’s face as she saw Mina sleeping soundly in her bed. She started to back away from the door, but a slight movement caught her eye.

Mina stirred in her sleep. She turned over to lay on her other side, the back of her head now shown clearly to Jihyo, who was still watching from the doorway. Mina shrunk further downwards, revealing another head of black hair behind her. The sleeping Mina shook her head back and forth as she tried to get comfortable in her sleep again. It was only when she finally found her face nuzzled into Momo’s neck that her peaceful sleep resumed. Jihyo’s body tensed as she realized that Mina wasn’t the only one laying in her bed. Jihyo looked about the room and noticed that it was unusually messy. Stray pieces of clothing littered the floor including a set of underwear and bra that undoubtedly belonged to someone else.

A visible shiver traveled up Jihyo’s body. Starting from her feet, traveling all the way up to her scalp. Her skin and hair stood up as a wave of energy passed through her while she stared at Mina and Momo with wide eyes. A part of her was jumping for joy that Mina finally had some physical attention, but a much bigger part of her was stunned at the sight she bore witness to. Jihyo’s first instinct was to gasp, but she quickly held her breath in her throat in an attempt to be completely silent. The last thing she needed was for either Momo or Mina to wake up and find Jihyo staring at them.

“Jihyo-ah! Are you there? Is Mina there or not?” Nayeon’s voice pierced through the phone speakers. The call itself wasn’t on speaker, but it might as well have with how deathly quiet Mina’s room was. Jihyo’s heart raced into a beating fit as she turned on her heels. It was a time like this that Jihyo was grateful she didn’t replace the upstairs carpet with hardwood like she always wanted to. With long strides, Jihyo quietly ran back downstairs. Her hand hooked around the last pole of the stair rail, swinging her into the direction of the living room. When she determined she was far away enough, she rushed to bring the phone back up to her cheek. “Oh my god, Nabongs!” Jihyo yelled in a whisper.

“What? You see a ghost? I told you, Jeongyeon made that up,” Nayeon said dismissively.  
“I found Mina sleeping in her room,” Jihyo said.  
“Perfect, we can stop worrying then,” replied Nayeon, sighing in relief.  
“Cuddling with Momo,” Jihyo added.  
“WHAT?!” Nayeon yelled.

Both Jeongyeon and Nayeon forcefully pulled their heads away from the sudden shriek. With Jihyo in her left ear and Jeongyeon in her right, Nayeon quickly heard a mouthful from both for being too loud. Nayeon’s body shot up into a sitting position, her mouth open with the widest smile on her face. Jeongyeon cursed quietly and turned over, pulling the covers back over her shoulders. Jihyo quickly tiptoed to just under the stairs. She poked her head out and turned it to look upward, listening intently for Mina in case she woke up. Being met with nothing but silence, Jihyo sighed in relief and turned to walk back into the living room.

“Did Mina and Momo FUCK?!” Nayeon squealed into the phone. The bed sheets next to Nayeon were suddenly pushed away, revealing Jeongyeon’s now awake, and entirely shocked expression. “What?!” she exclaimed, shooting her hand out to Nayeon in an attempt to grab the phone from her. Nayeon swatted Jeongyeon’s hand away while laughing. She maneuvered her fingers quickly to put the call on speakerphone just in in time for Jihyo’s answer. “There’s clothes _everywhere_ in her room,” Jihyo said with a huge smile on her face, “They definitely had sex.” A mix of yells and claps could be heard on the other side of the line as Nayeon and Jeongyeon erupted into a fit of excitement. Jihyo joined them too, doing her own little celebratory dance as quietly as she could while sitting on the living room couch. 

Meanwhile upstairs, the sound of moving bedsheets disrupted the silence within Mina’s room. The ballerina stirred in her sleep for a moment as her body finally started to wake up. Her eyes cracked open and she was met with the cool light of an overcast sky. She stretched her arms to the sides, but her left arm stopped short as something, or rather someone was in her way. Turning her head, she looked to her side and was startled to find someone else sleeping in her bed with her. Mina pushed her lips together, holding back the yelp that threatened to emerge from her throat. She blinked a couple times and soon realized exactly who and exactly why someone was sleeping next to her. The memories from the night before suddenly crashed into her like a wave. The feelings attached to those memories crashed into her even harder, and a bright red blush found its way to her cheeks.

The yelp that Mina had held back must’ve somehow escaped, because Momo began to stir quickly after. A moment passed and Momo’s eyes finally cracked open. The moment she saw Mina, her eyes widened as she gasped. Both Mina and Momo stared at each other with shocked expressions, as if the moments they shared last night was supposed to be a dream. And just like Mina, the memories of the night prior suddenly came back to Momo and she was overcome with the same warm feelings she had fallen asleep with. Slowly, gently, Momo reached out towards Mina from under the covers. Her fingers had no trouble in finding Mina’s, a skill she didn’t know she had possessed, and curled the ends together. With her thumb, she rubbed the tips of Mina’s fingers back and forth fondly while looking at her with a small smile.

“Good morning,” Momo whispered.

Mina’s expression fell into a softer one as the sound of Momo’s voice warmed her much more than the blankets did. Mina let out a giggle as she scooted closer to Momo, taking more of her hand into hers, completely lacing their fingers together. “Good morning,” Mina said softly, smiling. Momo chuckled and gave Mina’s hand a squeeze. “So about last night…” Momo started, trailing off intentionally to allow Mina to fill in the blanks. Mina giggled, a bit louder this time, and she nodded her head. “Would you like a repeat this morning?” Mina said, rather promiscuously. Momo’s eyes widened, as she brought her free hand to cover her face. “Woah woah woah okay okay,” Momo said laughing, “That’s not what I meant. At least not all of it. I need to start getting used to Pervert Mina.” Mina grinned and playfully pushed her feet against Momo’s shins. “I’m not a pervert!” Mina protested, “I’m just a woman with desires. That’s all.” Momo smirked and scooted even closer to Mina, releasing her hand to snake around to the small of Mina’s back. “I can fulfill those desires, Mina-chan.”

Mina licked her lips before biting down on the lower one mischievously. Her lips crashed with Momo’s and they engaged in a deep kiss. The kiss ended as quickly as it started, however, as Mina pulled away and covered her mouth. “Oh my god, wait,” she gasped, “My mouth tastes like death after all that alcohol last night. We can’t kiss until I brush my teeth.” Momo couldn’t help but laugh, leaning closer to Mina once again. “What? Can’t take a little morning breath, Minari?” she giggled. Mina brought her hands up and kept Momo at bay by pushing her shoulders. “Momo no!” she shrieked. The girls fell into a giggling fit as their hands combatted each other. A full minute of playfully fighting, and neither of them noticed how dangerously close they had been to the edge of the bed. One last push from Momo, and the two came tumbling down onto the carpet below.

Momo was on top of Mina now, their naked bodies pressed against each other in a way that was all too familiar. It was the perfect moment to flirt, yet Momo’s face carried nothing but dread. Her skin pinpricked with goosebumps as her teeth clenched. “Cold cold cold cold,” she repeated behind dramatically chattering teeth. Mina laughed and quickly pulled the blanket back over Momo’s back, covering them both. “Baby,” Mina teased. Momo quickly smirked. “Oh I could get used to you calling me that,” Momo grinned. Mina could have lied on her bedroom floor forever. The warmth of Momo’s body on top of her gave her a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt in a long time. The moment wouldn’t last, however, as the house’s doorbell chimed loudly.

Mina yelped, startled. The two women turned their heads to the side, realizing for the first time of the morning that Mina’s bedroom door had been wide open. “Who would be coming over so early in the morning? And on a Sunday for that matter?” Mina asked aloud. She gently tapped Momo’s shoulder, signaling her to get off. Momo quickly picked herself off Mina and propped herself up with her hand while she still somewhat lied on the floor. Mina pushed herself up to stand and swung her door closed only enough to grab her silk robe hanging from one of the hooks from behind. She slipped it on quickly and tiptoed with ballerina precision to the railing that overlooked the main entryway.

Meanwhile downstairs, the doorbell rang just as loudly in Jihyo’s ears. “Who the fuck is that so early on a Sunday?” Nayeon said from the other end of the phone call. As soon as Jihyo heard the doorbell, she let out a frustrated groan. She knew exactly who was at the door, and she kicked herself for letting herself fall into a gossip-filled conversation with Nayeon. “It’s Daniel,” Jihyo groaned as she pressed her palm against her forehead, “I invited him over for brunch because I thought everyone would be out of the house.” It didn’t take a genius to know that on the other end of the line, Im Nayeon had the widest grin on her face. “Please,” Jihyo groaned, “I can practically hear you grinning, Nabongs.” Nayeon rolled her eyes. “I don’t understand why you don’t just introduce him to us already,” she griped. Jihyo stood from the couch and started to make her way towards the front door. “It’s never ‘just introducing’ to you guys. Just let me have this one thing to myself for a little while. I like the privacy,” Jihyo said, a content smile forming on her face with her last words. “Well, this is perfect then. You and Daniel can go out to brunch, and Mina will never know you caught her red handed in Momo’s tits,” Nayeon chimed cheerfully.

Jihyo stopped in her tracks, eyes widened. Had the idea not been a good one, she would’ve scolded Nayeon for her last snarky comment. “Oh my god, that’s genius,” she stated in disbelief. “Of course it’s genius,” Nayeon said as she confidently brushed back her hair with her free hand, “I thought of it.” Jihyo rolled her eyes now and laughed. “Don’t let that get to your head, Nayeon-unnie,” she said as she reached for the door handle. With a firm pull, Jihyo was met with a tall, handsome man. “Good morning,” said the man. He had a small smile on his face and she couldn’t help but return it. As she continued to hold her phone up to her ear she mouthed a sentence to Daniel. “Nayeon,” she mouthed as she pointed at the phone, “Five minutes.” Daniel chuckled and nodded, he knew all too well what Jihyo truly meant. “I’ll wait for you in the car,” he said firmly as he leaned forward to give her a small peck on her forehead. A warm blush rose to Jihyo’s cheeks as she was filled with pure joy from the small gesture. She leaned into the kiss and nodded at Daniel before returning back into the home to gather her things.

As Jihyo crossed underneath the balcony of the stairs, Mina was lying flat against the carpet as she watched Jihyo greet Daniel. “Oh my god, is that _him_?” Mina whispered. Momo appeared next to Mina, army crawling next to her to join in her spying. “Who?” she asked curiously. “Jihyo’s been seeing a guy named Daniel for a couple months now, and she’s never introduced him to us. This is the first time I’ve seen him,” Mina replied, turning her head to Momo as she whispered. “I still can’t believe she’s straight,” Momo laughed. “A lot of people feel the same way, but I’ve known Jihyo the longest out of all of us, and she’s never been interested in women in that way. Skinship is the farthest she’ll go,” Mina explained. “You don’t think Jihyo…?” Momo started to say, looking at Mina with worried eyes. Mina didn’t need to hear the rest of the sentence to know what Momo was asking. The two dancers looked at each other with stunned gazes that drained all the color from their face.

Mina quickly shook her head and pouted her lips into a thin line. “There’s no way,” she began to convince herself, “I would’ve heard her come home. I’m a light sleeper.” Momo nodded her head, wanting to believe in Mina. A part of Momo was indifferent if Jihyo heard or saw anything, but she knew that Mina cared, and for Mina, she’ll care too. Their relationship had only just begun, starting with such a passionate fervor that it became difficult for Momo to keep it to herself. However, she knew how private Mina liked to keep her life, so she wanted to respect those wishes and do the best she could to protect Mina. “She probably just came home,” Momo tried convincing Mina, “Everyone was drinking last night, except us.” Mina frowned. “We _were_ drinking though,” said Mina. Momo chuckled and replied, “Yeah, but not after we danced. I didn’t want to drink after that.” Mina looked down at the carpet in front of her hands and let out a solemn “Oh.” Momo giggled again and scooted herself closer to Mina. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Mina’s bare shoulder. “It’s not like that, Mina,” she said reassuringly. When Mina looked up, she found Momo’s caring eyes. Those eyes that she grew so fond of, the ones that seemed to be the only source of relief from the constant tightness of her chest. “After we danced, I wanted to experience the rest of the night with you with the clearest mind possible. I like drinking, especially when the booze is free,” said Momo, laughing. “But I like you more,” she added, “And I didn’t want to blackout and miss the best night of my life.”

Mina stared at Momo with a shocked expression. Her mouth was open, the words she was about to say had been pulled right out of her mouth by the butterflies that dove into her stomach. She swore she could feel tears welling in her eyes from the emotions, but when she finally remembered to breathe and say something, something, or rather someone, else snatched the words away. “I really wish you guys would’ve stuck with whispering. It would’ve been easier to ignore you that way and pretend I didn’t see or hear anything,” chimed a familiar voice from the floor below. Mina yelped like a scared puppy and snapped her head down to see Jihyo pulling a pair of shoes off the shoe rack at the front door.

“Jihyo!” Mina yelled, immediately ducking her head to hide what little bare skin of her chest was visible from Jihyo’s angle. Momo followed Mina’s lead and then some, ducking and even rolling away completely out of view. “Are you mad?” Mina asked sheepishly. Jihyo simply laughed and looked up at Mina with a friendly face. “I think I speak for both of our friend groups, _Momo_, that we’re all happy for you guys,” Jihyo sneered. Mina couldn’t decide whether she felt embarrassed or relieved, so she settled on both. “Are you gonna tell anyone?” she asked, rather fearful. “Minari, you know I would never do that,” Jihyo said smiling, “This is your news to share, I’m not gonna take it away from you. Not that it wouldn’t be a surprise anyway, I can’t say we didn’t all see this coming.”

Momo was now lying on her back, covering her face with her eyes as she tried to hide from everything. She felt like she was taking the walk of shame without the actual walking part. “Speaking of the others,” Jihyo spoke up, “Nayeon mentioned something about Tzuyu and an archery event? You’re not supposed to be there are you?” The moment Jihyo’s words drifted into her ears, Momo shot up from the ground and dove back into Mina’s room. “SHIT!” she cursed as she fumbled through the mess of clothes on the bedroom floor to find her phone. When she looked at the screen, a wall of notifications stared back at her. From 7AM this morning, she had received messages from every single method possible. Text messages, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, even emails. Most of the messages were from Sana, ranging from genuine concern to threats that she dare not think about should they become reality. “I’m so dead!” Momo cursed again as she scrambled to put on her party getup she had no choice but to wear. Mina watched Momo, concern overcoming her. Was this her fault? 

“Whoop, gotta go,” Jihyo said nonchalantly as she pushed her feet into her shoes, “I’ll see you later, Minari!” Mina snapped her head back in the direction of the front door, but by the time she looked down, the only glimpse of Jihyo she could see was her hand closing the door from the other side. Mina sighed, relieved that her pseudo-mom was now gone. A part of her was happy that she was saved from the future embarrassment of coming out to Jihyo about her newfound relationship with Momo, but another part of her was even more embarrassed that Jihyo had found out in the way that she did. Mina, however, couldn’t dwell on the anxiety of the future. For now, she needed to calm down Momo in the present.

Mina quickly pushed herself up from the carpet, cringing slightly at the feeling of her skin being freed from the pressure of being pressed against the carpet. She looked down and rubbed at her now bumpy skin as it molded to the shape of the floor. By the time she looked up into her room, Momo was already dressed. A pang of disappointment struck Mina’s body. “You gotta go, huh?” she said in a low voice with the worst attempt at enthusiasm. Momo turned, revealing that she was in fact on the phone. “I’m so sorry, Sana, I overslept,” Momo desperately apologized while she pressed her free hand against her forehead in distraught. Mina bit her lip and looked down at the ground. She may not have drank enough alcohol last night, but the feeling of isolation she felt at this moment was much worse than any hangover she could’ve had.

Mina crossed her arms over her chest and walked past Momo. She crawled onto her bed and crossed her legs casually before looking out her bedroom window. She didn’t want to impose on Momo’s phone conversation. Momo’s eyes followed Mina as she walked past, and a sly grin quickly formed on her face at the realization she was still naked. With her phone still pressed to her ear, Momo followed Mina to the bed and leaned toward her. Mina jerked her body back in a scared reflex, but her expression shifted instantly from startled to confused. “What’re you-?” Mina started to whisper, but was cut off by a familiar warm feeling on her lips. Mina instantly melted into the sensation, unable to hold herself back from the sudden affection. “I have a good excuse, I promise!” Momo pleaded, the voice she used on the phone completely mismatching her current actions. Momo leaned further forward, pushing Mina back down onto the bed. She propped herself up with her free hand while Mina rested her own hands on Momo’s waist. “It’s a secret, Satang, they’re supposed to be kept,” Momo teased, eyes closed as she enjoyed the feeling of Mina peppering light kisses along her jaw line. Momo pulled her head away slightly to signal Mina to stop, only to dive into Mina’s neck herself to give her firmer kisses. Mina yelped at Momo’s sudden movements, quickly followed by a rather loud moan. Both of the dancers’ eyes widened at the sound that had escaped the ballerina’s lips. Mina immediately brought her hands up to cover any further sounds she may release.

“Momoring…._Who was that?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter~
> 
> Again, I can't thank you all enough for being so understanding and supportive of me and my work. I still have so many ideas I want to write into this story and I'm deeply grateful that you all are sticking with me through this journey
> 
> As always, if you have any questions or comments, you can use #BreakthroughTwiceAU on Twitter or send me a message on my CuriousCat: @ayediyas
> 
> For all the love you give me and my work, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU <3


	13. Resurface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old insecurities have a way of coming back time and time again. How will Momo and Mina handle them this time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma be honest. I wasn't sure where the fic was going to go after the last chapter. SO I did what I do when I usually have a block, just write anyway LOL. The chapter turned out just how I wanted it in the end :D
> 
> I'm also trying a new format of writing: the right way. tbh I've been pretty lazy with formatting the story, and some people have commented that it makes the fic harder to read. Lemme know in the comments if this new format is better for you, and if there's anything I can do to improve it even more ^^
> 
> Enjoy~

“You are _so_ lucky she is _so_ nice.”

Momo sunk into her shoulders, an apologetic smile on her face as she looked at Sana. “I’m sorry, I forgot to set an alarm cause...we were busy,” Momo said, avoiding Sana’s death glare at all costs.

“Yah!” Sana whined, pushing Momo’s shoulder playfully, “You’re making it so hard to be mad at you!”

“Well that’s what happened!” Momo said defensively. “Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu have been training for this event for weeks, I swear I didn’t want to miss it, things just got out of hand! What do you want me to say?”

“Say you’ll treat us to lunch,” Sana said affirmatively, turning to Momo as she spoke. “And bring Mina. You can’t just leave her at home after having sex, what kinda girlfriend does that? Why didn’t you bring her? Isn’t she lonely by herself at home? How could you abandon her?” Momo turned to Sana and suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders.

“One question at a time, Satang!” she pleaded defensively. “Take it easy, will you? I already asked Mina if she wanted to come here cause I knew you guys would want me to bring her, but the truth is she really enjoys her alone time. She turned on her computer game and it was like I didn’t even exist,” Momo added, laughing. She removed her hands from Sana’s shoulders and asked, “If I ask Mina to come to lunch with us, will you forgive me?” Sana looked at Mina with a pout on her face. A long silence fell between them before Sana turned away from Momo to look down at the archers in the stadium below.

“Nope!” Sana pouted, “Still mad at you for being late.” Momo threw her head back as she groaned. Her palm made contact with her forehead before she slumped her shoulders in defeat. Then, an idea suddenly popped into her head.

“If I give Mina some of Dahyun’s music to dance to when she practices at the studio, _then_ will you forgive me?” Momo proposed, a grin on her face. Immediately, Momo found herself in an infamous, warm Sana hug. The big smile on the girl’s face in turn made her smile and she returned the embrace kindly. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Momo laughed.

“I forgive you, yes,” Sana said, letting go, “But I’m still mad at you for being late.” Momo looked at Sana with an annoyed glare, to which Sana replied with a smile and a wink.

“So what did I miss so far?” Momo asked, looking back down, her eyes immediately landing on the rest of her roommates.

“Well,” Sana said with a sigh, “You kinda missed the whole tournament, but our School Meal Club actually managed to get to the finals this year. All thanks to Tzuyu, anyway.”

“So...just like every year,” Momo said in a flat voice.

“Yep,” Sana replied, equally as unenthusiastic. “I love her to death, but Dahyun can’t be consistent with her scores to save her life,” Sana said light heartedly, “She gets a 9 for one arrow, then a 5 for the next.”

“At least she’s always positive about it,” Momo commented, pointing at the wide smile on Dahyun’s face. Sana’s eyes were already on Dahyun, they never left. A small smile pulled at the corners of Sana’s face and she brought her own hands up to cup her cheeks.

“Yeah, that’s Dahyun…” Sana said dreamily, “No matter what happens to her, she always seems to push through with a smile.” Sana was waiting for a reply from Momo, but when she was met with silence, she finally pulled her gaze away from Dahyun down below to look at her. Momo was standing with a worried expression. Her lips were flattened into a thin line as her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. “Momo?” Sana called, concerned. Momo stood completely still. Her eyes were focused on nothing but the thoughts that seemed to race in front of her like ticker tape. “Momo-ah,” Sana called, a little louder this time. Momo suddenly blinked, snapping out of her daze to look at Sana.

“Hmm?” she hummed, as if nothing happened. The more she stared at Sana staring back at her, the faster she realized the look on Sana’s face was nothing short of serious. The longer she looked at Sana for some sort of reply, the more anxious she felt as Sana did nothing but bore burning holes into her skin with her eyes.

“Something is bothering you, and you’re going to tell me what it is,” Sana said, matter-of-factly. Momo somehow managed to rip her eyes away from Sana, diverting them to something else, anything else other than her fierce gaze.

“I hate that you can read me so well,” Momo grumbled, pouting her lips.

“Momo,” Sana said dryly, “You were staring at nothing and weren’t responding to me. It doesn’t take a genius to know that something is bothering you when you space out like that. Plus I’ve known you for how long? You read me just as well you know. So what’s up?” Momo kept her eyes away from Sana. She looked down at her feet, uneasiness settling into her body.

“Dahyun is so happy all the time,” Momo started, “She has problems from time to time, but like you said, she always pushes through it with a smile. How does she do that, Sana?” Sana’s expression immediately softened. She knew exactly where this was coming from.

“You’re talking about Mina aren’t you?” Sana said. Momo finally looked up from her feet.

“She has all this anxiety,” she said, looking at Sana with pleading eyes, “And it gets the best of her more often than not. I want to help her but I don’t know how.”

“People deal with their problems in their own ways, Momo,” Sana replied. “How do _you_ de-stress when things are tough?” Momo looked at Sana with an incredulous look. She knew the answer to the question, so why did she ask it?

“I dance, of course,” Momo said in an obvious tone.

“Exactly,” Sana said, “And Mina probably plays video games. Or...I don’t know, maybe she dances to relieve stress too. The point is, not everyone can push through it with a smile like Dahyun can. Dahyun deals with her problems in her own Dahyun way, just like Mina deals with hers in her own Mina way. How you can help her with that all depends on her. Have you asked her how you can help?”

“I have,” said Momo, “But she always says that she doesn’t know. She says that she’s had anxiety all her life and she’s just learned to _deal_ with it. But I don’t want her to just _deal_ with it, I want her to overcome it!”

“Not everyone is as tenacious as you, Momo,” Sana said, placing a hand on Momo’s shoulder to calm her down. “Mina is a very popular person. The pressure comes with the reputation,” Sana added.

“How do you help Dahyun when she needs it?” Momo asked curiously. Sana giggled, the answer came instantly to her.

“Chocolate. A lot of chocolate,” Sana said, “And some good cuddling.”

“Sana, I want to help Mina with her anxiety. It eats her alive, I can see it every time she’s in a big crowd. I want to help her, but she won’t tell me how!” Momo insisted passionately. Sana gripped Momo’s shoulder.

“Then just _be_ there for her,” she said firmly. “If she doesn’t have the answer right now, then the best thing you can do is be there, so that when she _is_ ready, you’re there to listen.” Momo’s own anxieties seemed to wash away as Sana’s words sunk within her. She released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and nodded quietly. After a moment, she looked up at Sana and said,

“Okay.” Momo gave Sana a smile and added, “Thanks, Satang.”

“Anything for you, Momoring,” Sana said, giving Momo yet another one of her warm hugs. “Just be extra nice to Mina, okay? She was a downright angel at Nayeon’s party last night, I don’t want you to fuck up something good. We like her,” she said.

“Okay okay I will,” Momo said, like a child agreeing with their parent

“Especially now,” Sana added, “Cause you know...the video.” Momo tried for the life of her to make sense of what Sana was talking about. She didn’t get that drunk last night, so her memory wasn’t foggy in the slightest. Had she forgotten something perhaps?

“What video?” Momo asked, looking at Sana with genuine confusion. Sana was nonchalant now, the tension from their just now serious conversation seeming to have left.

“You know,” Sana said as her eyes found Dahyun again, “The vid-” Sana’s eyes widened. Her head snapped to look at Momo. The look on Momo’s face said it all. Sana’s voice was dry, flat, monotone. She knew in her heart that what she was about to say was nothing more than a simple fact.

“You haven’t seen the video yet.”

* * *

“You really think she’ll like this one?” Nayeon said as she held a rather large box in her hands. Jeongyeon was standing slightly in front of her. The sound of jingling keys could be heard as she fiddled with the lock on the front door of the house they lived in.

“Of course she will,” Jeongyeon said confidently, “Because we bought it for her. It doesn’t matter if you get her a small one or a big one, if it’s a gift from a friend, Mina will love it.” Nayeon nodded in agreement.

“Yeah you’re right,” Nayeon said, “I still can’t believe she still likes Legos though.”

Jeongyeon finally unlocked the front door and pushed through. Nayeon followed behind her, kicking her shoes off at the landing that held the rest of the shoes. “Mina!” Nayeon called upstairs. No answer. Jeongyeon and Nayeon turned to look at each other at the same time. They had worried expressions on their faces as they both realized why Mina was quiet.

“We both knew this would happen, we were prepared for it, why does it still feel terrible?” Jeongyeon rhetorically said. Nayeon sighed.

“Hopefully this will cheer her up,” Nayeon said, signaling the big Lego box in her hand.

“Yeah, let’s hope,” Jeongyeon sighed.

Jeongyeon lead the way up the stairs, Nayeon followed closely behind. They walked quietly, careful to step softly onto the carpet of the second floor hallway. “Mina?” Jeongyeon called out, softer this time. Both Jeongyeon and Nayeon’s heads were tilted towards Mina’s closed door. They approached carefully, standing in front of either side of the door frame. Jeongyeon looked to Nayeon, her eyes serious as her eyebrows were furrowed. She quickly nodded her head in the direction of the door, signaling Nayeon to go in first. Nayeon’s expression was an exact copy of Jeongyeon’s. She looked at her with a look of ‘no-you-open-the-door’. Nayeon aggressively pointed at the box in her hands with her eyes as she jerked it slightly. She then quickly pushed her neck forward towards Jeongyeon before nodding towards the door with the same feeling of urgency. Jeongyeon’s lips pursed. “Are you serious? I bought the thing, _you_ open the door…!” Jeongyeon whisper yelled through her teeth.

“With what hands, genius? This thing is huge! You want me to drop it and break it?” Nayeon whisper yelled back through her own teeth.

“It’s a fucking Lego set, Nayeon,” Jeongyeon growled, “You’re _supposed_ to put it back together, idiot.” Jeongyeon and Nayeon’s whispers grew louder and louder with each escalated jab. Before they knew it, a soft voice cut right through their conversation.

“Nayeon-unnie? Jeongyeon-unnie?” said a delicate Mina from behind the door. Jeongyeon and Nayeon’s eyes widened at the sudden stop to their not-so-quiet bickering. They looked at each other, then to the door, then back at each other. They both took in deep breaths and prepared themselves for what they were about to see. Jeongyeon reached for the door handle, and looked at Nayeon one last time. Nayeon looked at Jeongyeon with a determined expression and gave her a firm nod. Jeongyeon opened the door and pushed through with one quick motion.

“Mina we’re so sorr-” Jeongyeon was quick to say, but bit her lips shut at the sight in front of her. Mina was sitting cross legged in her desk chair. Her left hand was resting on her laptop while her right comfortably held a computer mouse in between her fingers.

“Hmm?” Mina said, obviously distracted by what was on her screen. Both Nayeon and Jeongyeon’s mouths were agape in shock. They had prepared for the worst, but were instead met with nothing but the best possible situation. Luckily, the rather blocky-looking video game that showed on Mina’s laptop screen was taking all of Mina’s gaze. Jeongyeon immediately looked at Nayeon, then down at the box in her hand. Nayeon knew exactly what to do. She took a step back and set the box down on the floor. Thanks to the smooth carpet, she was able to push the box back into the hallway, where Mina couldn’t see it. “Sorry, lemme just get inside my house,” Mina said as her fingers worked to move her character on the screen. Once she determined her character was safe, Mina finally leaned back into her chair and let out a sigh of relief. At last she turned to look at Jeongyeon and Nayeon, who at first glance seemed to be worried about something. “Uhh...You guys okay?” Mina asked with a chuckle.

Jeongyeon blinked as she stared at Mina. Her mouth was still open from earlier, and her eyes searched the room for some sort of inspiration. She would’ve preferred her eyes landed on literally anything else, but they fell on a pair of panties that lay discarded on the floor. _....Wait that’s not Mina’s_ Jeongyeon thought to herself. That thought would have to come about at another time. For now, she needed an excuse. “Yeah totally,” Jeongyeon said, trying to act casual, “We just wanted to borrow some clothes from you.” Nayeon didn’t express it, but in her mind she was slapping her forehead at Jeongyeon’s poor attempt for an excuse.

Mina smiled back at Jeongyeon, the excuse seeming to work. “Ah,” she said, “Because I borrowed some from yours first, right? Sorry for taking them without asking. Momo needed-” Mina instantly yelped at her mistake. She tried to cover her mouth, but what was said was said, and she couldn’t take it back. Mina’s eyes widened as she looked at Jeongyeon and Nayeon with a look of regret. Nayeon, quick-witted Nayeon, saw this as an opportunity to save both her and Jeongyeon. She jumped in immediately.

“Momo huh?” Nayeon said in a sing-song voice, stepping further into the room. She leaned into Jeongyeon’s back, placing her hand on her shoulders and giving them a signaling squeeze. Jeongyeon followed Nayeon’s lead and smiled at Mina.

“What exactly did Momo need, Minari?” Jeongyeon said with a smirk. Mina groaned and threw her head back. She covered her face with her hands.

“First Jihyo and now you guys!” Mina whined.

“Jihyo told us already,” Nayeon said with a sly smile. Mina whined again, leaning forward against her desk to hide her face inside the crooks of her arms.

“I hate you guys. You’re all a bunch of gossips I swear,” Mina complained.

“Okay you can’t blame Jihyo, she literally caught you guys naked,” Nayeon retorted with  
a chuckle. Mina groaned again. The embarrassment was overwhelming now. She didn’t even want to know how red her cheeks were. Nayeon laughed as she approached Mina. She placed her hand on Mina’s back and rubbed her in encouraging circles. “Come on, Mina! We’re your friends, we’re supposed to tease you!” Nayeon said jokingly.

“Are you forgetting the talk we all had with you yesterday?” Jeongyeon chimed in, “We support you no matter what. Plus, we like Momo. It was my first time meeting her last night and she was honestly really nice. Not to mention she was very sweet with you, which is really all me, Nayeon, and Jihyo care about.” Jeongyeon’s eyes somehow managed to find the mystery pair of panties on the floor once again, and she laughed knowing it was definitely Momo’s. “Although I gotta admit,” she started again, “I was _not_ expecting you guys to sleep together so soon. What happened last night?”

“Yeah, Mina!” Nayeon said excitedly, “How did you even end up back home? I booked everyone rooms at the hotel so that no one had to drive.” Nayeon walked over to Mina’s bed and plopped down onto her back, as comfortable as could be. She turned to lay on her side and propped her head up onto her hand as she looked at Mina with a smile. Mina finally emerged from the hiding place inside her arms and looked up at Nayeon. When she turned her head, Jeongyeon had made herself comfortable sitting in her vanity chair on the opposite side of the room. Mina groaned once again, as she realized there was no getting out of this situation.

“After dancing with Momo, I started to get anxious,” Mina finally began, “so I went to the bathroom to calm down. Momo came to check on me and I told her I needed to leave the party because I just couldn’t go back into that crowd anymore. They were saying too many things and it was all getting to my head.”

“You could’ve texted one of us if you felt that way. We’re always here for you, remember?” Nayeon said kindly.

“It was your party, Nayeon,” Mina replied, “I didn’t want to bother you.”

“Mina,” Nayeon said with a smile as she sat up, “I don’t care if it’s my birthday party or my wedding. If you need me in a time like that, I would help you in an instant.”

“Yeah,” Mina said quickly, “But everyone was drunk, or at least getting close. Even if one of you came to help, I’m not sure if I’d be the one who would need help.”

“She’s got you there, babe,” Jeongyeon snickered from the other side of the room, “We all got pretty wasted last night. Getting you back to the room while I was drunk myself was hard enough. Even Momo’s roommates got wasted. They all had to squeeze into an Uber to get home.”

“So she just drove you back home and you guys suddenly had sex?” Nayeon asked, eager to hear the rest of the story.

“Not exactly,” Mina said as she shook her head, “We went to The Tower.”

“Oh my god,” Nayeon said, moving her hand to cover her agape mouth as she gasped in awe, “It was love at first date.” Mina snapped her head in Nayeon’s direction, about to scold her, but she quickly realized that although worded plainly, it was true. Mina looked down, almost afraid to admit it.

“I don’t think I want to call it love right now, but that’s definitely what it felt like,” Mina finally said, a hint of dreamyness in her voice. “For weeks and weeks, I just thought I had made a new, really close friend. Someone I could confide in, someone who understood me and could ease my anxiety by just holding my hand. Which, I don’t know if you guys saw-”

“Everyone saw you guys holding hands like night,” Jeongyeon interrupted in a plain voice. Mina swiveled her head around to look at her friend. A shocked expression was on her face, genuine naivety.

“What?!” Mina said in disbelief.

“Mina please,” Jeongyeon said while leaning back against the chair. She folded her arms over her chest while a smirk pulled at her lips. “Standing close to someone so you can hold their hand behind your backs? It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. You weren’t fooling anyone. Besides, everyone knew you two liked each other. Bringing attention to something so obvious is like telling the world that Im Nayeon is the most attractive person in the whole-” Jeongyeon’s words were cut short as a large penguin plushie collided with her face.

“Stop being gross,” Nayeon said in disgust as she glared at Jeongyeon, who was smiling behind the pillow. “Keep going, Mina,” Nayeon said, the tone in her voice changing immediately from harsh to kind.

“There’s not really much else,” Mina continued, “We went to the arcade, played some games, and she drove me home.”

“Well that doesn’t explain how she ended up in your bed,” Nayeon persisted, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

“I just...didn’t want her to leave,” said Mina. “The whole night, we were holding hands. We even almost kissed when we were in the elevator at The Tower, but we got interrupted. It was nothing but a push and pull all night and after giving her a tour of the house, we ended up in my room.” Nayeon’s face went from playful to attentive. She shifted her eyes to Jeongyeon, who shared the same look as her. Mina may have said her story was over, but she was far from over with her words. Mina fiddled with her hands as they rested on top of her desk. She looked at her hands as they rubbed together, pushing them into each other as her emotions began to envelop her entire body. Her words came out as fast as her heart pumped them out.  
“I can’t stop thinking about her. At all. I haven’t felt this way for something since...well, you guys know. And I wanted to bury my feelings again, to push her away, but every time she looked at me with those big brown eyes, I found myself giving in. She just has this way with her eyes that makes me forget about every insecurity I’ve ever had; and, to be honest, it’s completely terrifying. We were standing here in my room and when she stood close to me, I didn’t want her to leave. But then something, some...fire, sparked inside me and I realized that I was done with being afraid. There she was, someone who actually _wants_ me for more than just sex. Someone who is _right_ for me.” Mina’s words hung in the air like a cloud, lingering for everyone to take in. “The moment she started to step away, I knew if I didn’t do something, I would lose her,” Mina began again. “So I grabbed her,” she said, “And I didn’t let go.” Mina’s eyes looked forward. There was nothing but pride and certainty behind them. “And we didn’t stop.”

The room was silent. Nayeon and Jeongyeon listened quietly as Mina’s feelings took over her, allowing her words to flow without a filter. The silence in the room gradually settled into Mina’s ears. The fire that burned within her quickly dwindled as she became embarrassed at the tension she created. She shrunk into her shoulders and cleared her throat, unsure of what to say as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Wow…” Jeongyeon said, shattering the glass of silence in the room, “You’ve got it bad.”

Mina groaned and folded her legs against her chest. She hugged her knees and threw her head back with her eyes closed. “I know!” she said, “What do I do? I don’t want to scare her off with my…._feelings_.” Mina’s last word was dripping with disgust. She felt ashamed to feel so strongly about one person. It was a feeling she thought she had buried years ago.

“Oh shut up, Mina!” Nayeon laughed loudly. “If Momo was scared of your feelings, do you think she would DM you on Twitter under her personal account?”

“Oops, I forgot to check Twitter this morning,” Mina suddenly realized, perking up, “Thanks for reminding me, Nayeon.”  
Nayeon’s smile vanished the moment she realized her mistake. She looked up at Jeongyeon, who had already slapped her forehead with her hand. Mina hadn’t noticed the small exchange between the two girlfriends. Instead, she was focused on retrieving her phone from her mess of last night’s discarded clothes that were scattered all over her bedroom floor. When she finally found her phone, her face showed an unexpected expression as the amount of unread notifications looked like a wall of text before her eyes. 

“My Twitter is blown up right now for some reason,” she said nonchalantly as she unlocked her phone. There were so many notifications from all of her social media apps, there weren’t any previews for the messages. She decided to check her Twitter first. Big mistake.

One look at her mentions was all it took. Within seconds, Mina’s chest tightened with such uncomfortable anxiety that she had to physically sit down at the edge of her bed in order to steady herself. She didn’t need to press the play button on her screen. As if the party decorations in the background weren’t enough, she knew exactly who the two people in the video were. She was one of them. The video started playing automatically, causing loud, distorted, bass-boosted music to burst from her phone speakers. It was ear piercing now, but the music that traveled to her ears were still fresh in her mind, it threw her back to that very moment she intimately shared with Momo. And just like that, all of the comments that surrounded her in the moments following the end of the dance came back to her in one big tidal wave of anxiety. The video on the screen ended, but Mina couldn’t find the strength in her fingers to hit pause. Her body was frozen, yet her heart threatened to break through her chest with every heartbeat growing louder and louder.

“Mina!” Nayeon’s voice grew louder as the ringing in Mina’s ears finally dissipated. Mina blinked back into reality. She did realize how labored her breathing had become, how tense her muscles felt. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“It’s okay, Nayeon,” Mina said calmly, “I can handle this.” Mina opened her eyes again. She looked down at her screen and scrolled through the endless void that was her mentions. If there was one thing that always remained true in the world, it was that the culture of comments on the internet were merciless.

_”MIMO LIVES”  
“Way better than Lisa imo”  
“wait this mina girl is still relevant? isn’t she washed up lmao”  
“Goodbye ballet LOL”  
“Momo dances better with Lisa but okay go off I guess Mina”  
“stan mimo”  
“YES. WHERE MY PENGUIN OOMFS AT”  
“Ah yes. Hot gays on my tl. Good morning”  
“Mina deserves betterrrrr”  
“Fuck Mina. Stan Lisa”_

With every comment she read, the weight of each word piled one by one onto Mina’s shoulders. By the time she finished reading what seemed like the 100th comment, she had shrunk completely into her shoulders. Her anxiety was bubbling at the surface now, and if she scrolled down further she was sure it would be the tipping point. However, a new notification bubble slid down from the top of her screen. The notification didn’t belong to any social media app. Instead, it was a notification for an actual text message.

[1:13PM] :heart:Momo:heart:: The tournament just finished. They lost lol… You wanna come to lunch with us?

The sight of Momo’s name on her screen instantly removed some of the weight on her shoulders. Seeing the heart emojis surrounding the woman’s name made her giddy.

[1:14PM] Mina: Uhh...how did you get my number? Stalker :eyes:  
[1:14PM] :heart:Momo:heart:: I put it in your phone while you were stealing clothes from Jeongyeon earlier :wink:  
[1:15PM] Mina: Of course you did keke  
[1:15PM] Mina: Lunch sounds great actually. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning after you left. But would it be okay if it was just me and you? I don’t think I can handle a crowd right now…  
[1:16PM] :heart:Momo:heart:: Pick you up in an hour then? :smile:  
[1:16PM] Mina: It’s a date :heart:  
[1:17PM] :heart:Momo:heart:: See you soon, babe :kissing_heart:

Mina fell back onto her bed. She tossed her phone to the side and squealed uncontrollably as her legs frantically kicked over the side of her bed. Nayeon looked at Jeongyeon with pure confusion. Jeongyeon looked back at Nayeon and simply gave her an equally confused shrug. “Uhh..Mina? You okay?” Nayeon asked in a worried tone, “Just now you were shaking, and now you’re...Well you’re still shaking, but it’s different.” Mina shot up from the bed. Her slender legs carried her out of the room in seconds. On her way out, she grabbed her towel off the hook behind her door. The words that plagued her mind and body seemed to have literally fallen off her shoulders and a newfound confidence was building within her. Until now, Mina’s confidence was only funneled to two aspects of her life: dance and video games. Her hands were balled into fists as her cheeks puffed with fear and excitement at the same time. Mina took in one deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs.

“I HAVE A DATE WITH MY GIRLFRIEND!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me if I get minor story details wrong(it's been a while since I wrote this story LOL). I tried to make this chapter about how Momo and Mina feel about their new relationship.
> 
> As always, I'm open to all comments, critiques, etc. Feel free to @ me on Twitter, send a message in CuriousCat, or comment here (links to all those below)
> 
> Thank you all so much for being so patient with me! It feels amazing to write again, and I'm excited to get this story going again <3


	14. Never Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina and Momo go on their first official date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this one took so long! I wanted their first date to be special, filled with moments while staying true to the characters
> 
> Enjoy!

“I can’t believe our Minari is finally going on a date!”

“You guys act like I’ve never been on a date before,” retorted Mina as she sat in front of her vanity mirror. She kept her eyes forward, looking through the mirror at the group of girls that all cuddled into her bed as if it were their own. Three pairs of eyes looked back at her through the mirror, all donning the same doubtful face. “Alright,” Mina said with an unamused face, “You guys are assholes.”

“Can you blame us, Mina?” said Jihyo, the one who spoke previously, “We haven’t seen you interested in anyone since college. You’ve been a working professional since graduating, and haven’t even tried to date anyone. That’s *five* years of no action.”

“Yes, Jihyo,” Mina said as she rolled her eyes, “I am very aware of my dating life.” As Mina spoke, she picked up various makeup items from her vanity and applied them to her face. Since going on hiatus, Mina only lightly used makeup. A simple face for when she would dance at the Breakthrough Dance Studio, but nothing too heavy. She had no one to impress, nor did she want to impress anyone in the first place. It wasn’t until Nayeon’s party that she fully put makeup on her face for a polished look. In just a few minutes, she would be going on her first date in over five years. She already knew that Momo liked her for who she was, but she wanted to really accentuate her beauty with a little cosmetic help. With every motion of her hand, she felt a sense of nostalgia and happiness. She had forgotten how much she liked getting dressed up, and was grateful to Momo for bringing that back out in her.

Suddenly, Mina’s cell phone vibrated. In an instant, Mina snatched her phone from her vanity and hastily opened her text messages.

[2:27PM] :heart:Momo:heart:: Outside :heart_eyes:

“Ahh!” Mina squealed, “She’s here!” She quickly tucked her phone away into her purse and looked back at herself in the mirror. She dropped the brush in her hand and fixed her hair with little swipes of her fingers, making sure her look was perfect. The three girls on Mina’s bed fell into a fit of “ooohhhs” as they became more and more excited for their friend. They all wore proud smiles on their faces as they looked at each other, and back to Mina. Mina finally stood up from her vanity and picked up her purse, letting it hang from the crook of her arm. She turned to face her friends and gave them a rather confident smile. “How do I look?” she asked.

“Oh shut up and go to your girl already, we all know you’re hot!” Nayeon shouted, pointing towards the door. Jihyo and Jeongyeon laughed, they all knew it was true. Mina couldn’t help but shyly smile and laugh. She took in a deep breath and nodded firmly.

“Minari! Minari!” Jihyo started chanting.

Mina’s smile immediately replaced itself with a grimace. She cringed at the chanting and shrunk into her shoulders as she turned to finally walk towards the door. “Okay okay,” she said, “you don’t have to be cringy!”

“Minari! Minari!” Jeongyeon joined in.

As Mina walked down the stairs, the three collective brain cells she called friends followed behind her. The chanting didn’t stop, even as Mina opened the front door to leave. In fact, they only became louder the moment they all saw Momo waiting in her car on the sidewalk. Momo had the window open, opting for the cool autumn air over the air conditioning. The radio was on, but it paled in comparison to the noise that she heard coming from Mina’s house. Momo turned her head to see Mina walking down her driveway, her hand embarrassingly covering her face. Behind her were Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Jihyo, all pumping their fists up and down in front of them as they chanted Mina’s name over and over. They stood in the open doorway, eyes fixed on Mina. They didn’t stop until Mina opened the car door and slipped in, ending their chant with a final cheer.

“I am _so_ sorry,” Mina sighed as she closed the car door. Momo was already doubled over from laughing. She had no problem picturing her own friends doing the same thing to her, and it made the situation even more funny.

“Don’t be,” Momo said, as she laughed, “My friends would do the same. It’s really cute actually.”

Mina smiled, the embarrassment suddenly becoming funny to her now. It helped that seeing Momo’s smile gave her such a warm feeling. She wanted to see her smile everyday. Mina pulled out her phone and held it in front of her. “Okay so, when you pull out onto the main street, make a left,” she said confidently.

Momo raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Oh?” she said, putting her hands back on the steering while, “You’ve already picked out a place?”

“I like to look up restaurants,” Mina replied, “And I found one that I wanted to try with you. I know you’ll like it.”

Momo nodded amusingly. “Wow,” she said as she turned left onto the main street, “Not even a day into dating and you already know what I do and don’t like to eat?”

“Well, it’s not that hard cause you eat everything,” Mina jabbed back playfully.

“This is true,” Momo agreed, “I am a human vacuum.”

“Yeah, you suck,” Mina jested.

“Oh I did plenty of that last night,” Momo said without skipping a beat.

The car suddenly felt like it had driven into the sun. The heat on Mina’s cheeks caused her skin to become a deeper shade than the blush she had applied to her face. She gave Momo’s shoulder a playful slap. “Uncalled for!” she yelled, unsure of what else to say.

“Ow!” Momo reeled back slightly at the playful hit. She laughed as she looked at Mina. She removed one hand from the steering wheel and reached over to her. Her eyes were on the road, yet she easily found Mina’s hand and interlocked their fingers together. “How about less slapping, and more directing, Miss Google Maps?” she laughed.

Mina looked down. _How does she do that?_ she thought to herself as she saw Momo’s hand effortlessly find hers. She melted into the touch and relaxed instantly, giving Momo’s hand a warm squeeze. Without realizing it, her thumb began to rub against Momo’s skin. She looked back at her phone, her smile seemed to be permanently pulling her lips. “Get onto the freeway and then….”

After about 20 minutes of driving, they finally arrived at their destination. As the car pulled into the parking spot, Mina caught a whiff of the food that was cooking inside. Her stomach growled at her and she laughed. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” she said as she rolled up her window. Momo turned off the car and gathered her own purse before pushing the door open.

“I’m hungry all the time, so I can’t relate,” she said jokingly as she stepped out of the car.

Mina did the same, stepping out of the car after tucking her phone back into her bag. After she closed the door, she turned to join Momo, but was startled to see that the woman was already standing in front of her. Momo placed her hands on Mina’s hips and pulled her closer. Mina stumbled forward, still stunned at the sudden proximity of the woman. “Hey,” Momo said in a sultry voice. Mina’s knees almost gave out from the single word. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding in and quickly composed herself. She placed her hands on Momo’s shoulders and stepped even closer to her.

“Hey,” Mina said, in the same voice. Momo lost her balance slightly. Mina tightened her grip on the girl’s shoulders to steady her and Momo quickly shook her head to snap herself out of her daze. That same signature cocky grin appeared on Momo’s face as she looked at Mina.

“You look really pretty, babe,” said Momo. Mina’s mouth was open, but the words she wanted to say wouldn’t come out. There had to be something she could say to get back at Momo. A witty remark, another flirtatious jab, but nothing materialized before her. Instead, all she could do was lean forward, the last word that escaped Momo’s lips replaying over and over in her mind. Momo took the hint and her smile grew. She closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against Mina’s in a single, solid kiss. They lingered, pressed against each other completely, for a long moment. Both of them had their eyes closed as they both savored the moment.

Mina was the first to pull away, her insecurities of being in public suddenly coming back to her. She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands that still rested on Momo’s shoulders. “I uh..” she said nervously, “I still need to get used to you calling me that.” Momo smiled and leaned closer to Mina, moving her head next to Mina’s.

“Would you rather I call you something else?” Momo whispered into her ear. Mina let out a sigh and stumbled slightly. She laughed bashfully and shook her head.

“No,” she said, “that’s just fine.” Mina turned her head slightly and whispered back into Momo’s ear. “Babe,” she said.

Momo’s hands gripped onto Mina’s hips. All the confidence she had just now disintegrated with a single word from Mina. The sexual tension between them had been growing for quite some time now. It wasn’t until last night that they were able to release all the tension between them. Now that they were an established couple, it felt like sexual tension was a constant between them. Every time Momo would look at Mina with her big brown eyes, Mina could feel the breath being snatched from her body. Every time Mina would smile and look away shyly, Momo could feel her stomach tumble as butterflies made her belly their personal playground.

Momo didn’t realize she had been standing in front of no one for who knows how long. A tug at her hand, and she snapped her head in the direction it came from. Mina had stepped toward the small square on the other side of the street. Her hand was locked with Momo’s as she gave her a smile. _What a gorgeous smile,_ Momo thought to herself as she smiled back at Mina. “The place looks busy, we should go put our name down before too many people get ahead of us,” Mina said happily. Momo couldn’t stop smiling. This woman was driving her insane. Without a word, she hopped into step with Mina and walked alongside her towards the courtyard.

As they approached the restaurant, Momo’s eyes widened. There was a poster on the window, showcasing a beautifully cooked plate of her favorite food. “You looked up a jokbal place for me?!” she asked excitedly, practically jumping up and down like a child.

Mina had just finished writing their name down on the waiting list that sat on a podium outside the restaurant doors. “Famous jokbal for my famous JokbalQueen,” Mina beamed. Momo pulled Mina in and twirled her around. She hugged Mina from behind and gave her a firm kiss on her cheek, even going so far as to press into it. Mina leaned to the side and giggled as her cheek caved in from Momo’s lips. As Momo let go of her waist, she spun back around and held a finger out to her.

“Don’t get too excited too soon,” Mina said, like a mother parenting a child, “We have to wait our turn to be seated.” Momo pouted and threw her head back, playing the role of the complaining child. “Hey look!” Mina said, letting go of Momo’s hand and running off behind her. Momo snapped out of her acting and whipped around to see Mina waddle running towards a collection of cabinet machine games. Momo laughed and jogged after her, joining her in front of the crane machine she stopped in front of. Mina had her hands pressed onto the glass as she looked inside. She pointed towards the center of the pile of stuffed animals and said, “It’s the same penguin plushie you tried to get me from that huge crane game from the arcade last night, only this one is tiny!”

An idea struck Momo. It was redemption time. She began to rummage through her bag, pulling out all the loose change she had. When she opened her palm, there were only two quarters, one penny, one nickel, and two dimes. Mina saw Momo go through her purse and decided to do the same. She shoved her hand deep into the pockets of her purse and pulled out all of her own loose change. When she opened her hand, she revealed one nickel, five pennies, and two quarters. They looked at each other and smiled. They put away all but the quarters and quickly pushed the four coins into the machine. Mina watched closely from behind as Momo took her place in front of the joystick. “Okay,” Momo breathed as the claw came to life, moving to the center of the machine, “You’re mine.”

Momo gave the joystick slight pushes, inching the claw inside up and over ever so slightly. She stepped to the side of the machine to check another angle, and moved back to the joystick to move the claw slightly once again. The timer was running out on the display above her head and she was still adjusting the claw delicately over the penguin plush in the pile. This was her only chance, and it needed to be perfect. Momo was about to move the claw slightly to the left, but the timer on the screen finally reached zero and the claw began its descent into the pile. “No wait!” Momo yelled at the game, wiggling the joystick furiously. The claw fell over onto the pile of plushies, waited a moment, then came back up as it closed. The three prongs of the claw gripped onto the penguin’s head, lifting it out of the pile. Both Mina and Momo gasped as the penguin dangled from the claw as it rose back to the top of the machine. Upon reaching the top, however, the penguin wiggled just a little too much and broke free of the claw. It fell back onto the top of the plush pile while the claw made its way to the bucket empty-handed.

“Agh!” both Mina and Momo groaned. Momo put her hands on the side of her head while Mina’s shoulders slumped. Mina looked at Momo with a comforting look. “It’s okay,” Mina said, rubbing Momo’s back, “It’s just not meant to be.”

“Mina, party of two!” yelled the hostess from the front of the restaurant.

“Hey that’s us,” Mina said, taking Momo’s hand in hers and giving it a small tug. Momo looked at the penguin laying on the top of the pile. The way the plushie had fallen, placed it to look perfectly up at Momo. The black beads that were sewn into its face seemed to look directly at Momo, and it only made the woman more upset. She glared down at the plush, but the tug of her hand from Mina softened her face as she listened to her call. She turned around and smiled at Mina, following her inside.

At last, they were seated in a booth. Momo set her purse down next to her as she sat across from Mina. The ambiance of the restaurant was that of a popular spot. Every table was either full with patrons, or being bussed for the next patrons outside. The aroma of Korean food permanently settled in the air, getting Momo even more excited for her meal to come. As soon as Mina sat down, she slapped Momo’s menu closed just as the woman was in the middle of opening it. “Nope,” Mina said, pulling the menu out from under Momo’s fingers, “I’m ordering for us both.” Momo’s mouth was agape, still processing exactly what just happened. She looked up at Mina and gave her a grin.

“Look at Minari taking charge,” Momo said playfully, “And how will you know what I want?”

“Like that’s hard,” Mina said, equally playful, “Five Spice Jokbal with anything but water.”

Momo looked at Mina with a hard expression. She blinked twice, attempting to come back with her own witty remark, but only found herself blinking again. “Okay fine, but I’m paying for it!” she said defiantly.

“Nope,” Mina said again, unamused as she perused through the menu.

Momo was about to say something in protest yet again, but was interrupted when a waitress approached their table. “Hello ladies, what can I get started for you today?” the waitress politely said.

“Actually,” Mina spoke first, “We’re ready to order.”

“Oh perfect! Go ahead,” the waitress said cheerfully.

Mina gave the waitress their order and handed her both menus after. She ordered for both of them, a family deal with their famous jokbal as the center dish. The deal came with various side orders and side dishes that were traditionally served in Korean meals. It was more than enough food for the both of them.

“I’m so hungry,” said Momo.

“You’re always hungry,” Mina giggled.

“Yeah, and now that we’re dating you gotta get used to it,” Momo smiled from across the table.

Mina didn’t have a witty comment to give back to Momo. Her words actually sent her into a deeper thought, and she became silent. Momo noticed the change in her expression and became concerned.

“Mina?” Momo called, “You okay? Did I say something wrong?”

Mina shook her head and looked back up at Momo. “No,” she replied, “It’s just that...Well, we’re really doing this aren’t we?”

A small smile appeared on Momo’s face. She held her hand out towards Mina, the back of her hand rested on the table while her open palm invited the other woman in. Mina smiled and reached back out, placing her hand into Momo’s. Momo’s finger’s closed onto Mina’s while Mina’s pulled Momo’s fingers into her palm. “We can take it slower if you want,” Momo said reassuringly.

“No,” Mina said with a smile, “I like the pace we’re going at right now. I just...can’t believe it’s actually happening. For weeks, being with you has just been a thought that couldn’t leave my mind. Now we’re here, and what was just a thought before became a reality. I just...can’t believe it that’s all.”

Momo smiled again. “I want this more than anything, Mina. I want you, and only you,” she said firmly.

“Your fans seem to think otherwise,” Mina said before thinking. She quickly realized what she said and tried to pull her hand away in embarrassment. “Sorry, that was harsh. And not your fault,” she said.

Momo refused to let go of Mina’s hand even as she tried to pull away. She tightened her grip on her fingers and looked at Mina with determined eyes. “People like to talk about things they have no clue about just cause it makes them feel better,” Momo said sternly, “But that doesn’t mean we have to listen to them, because we, _me and you_, know the truth.” With her free hand, Momo dug into her purse and pulled out her phone. “Here,” she said lightheartedly, “Smile.” Momo held her phone up and opened the camera app.

Mina brought her free hand up to her mouth and covered her smile, confused from Momo’s actions. “What are you doing?” she giggled.

Momo didn’t skip a beat. “Showing the world who my gorgeous girlfriend is.”

A blush painted Mina’s cheeks. The smile on her face refused to leave as she looked shyly at the camera. Momo had plenty of opportunities to take a good photo, but couldn’t find the strength to. She was lost in the sight before her. Mina smiled, wide and happy. That gummy smile that she loved so much was out and she didn’t dare look away from it.

“Are you taking a picture or a video?” Mina said, bringing her hand up to block her face bashfully yet again.

Momo laughed and shook her head. “I just can’t believe I’m with someone as beautiful as you,” Momo said.

It happened again. Mina smiled with her lips. _Click_. Mina couldn’t hold in the happiness that overflowed from her, and her lips parted into a wide smile. _Click_. Momo had done it. She captured two of the best moments she could ever witness. Together they encaptured everything Mina was. “Perfect,” Momo said with a smile.

“Wait, I want one too!” Mina pouted, turning to fish her phone out of her purse.

“Alright here we are,” the waitress said as she suddenly appeared in front of the table. Mina stopped in her tracks and glared at Momo at the timing. Momo gave Mina a grin and said nothing as the waitress continued to set food down between them. They let each other’s hands go as they shuffled the plates of food around to make it easier for the waitress to fit all the plates on the table. “Enjoy,” the waitress said before leaving the table. Both Mina and Momo thanked the waitress before she left, and turned their attention to the steaming food in front of them.

One look was all it took, and both of the girls helped themselves to the food. Hunger had taken over the conversation and the two happily ate the jokbal and other dishes. Jokbal wasn’t her favorite thing to eat, but Mina could see that Momo was the happiest she could be, and that was all she wanted. By the end of the meal, most of the jokbal had been devoured, mostly by Momo. Mina focused her efforts on clearing the smaller side plates and dishes other than the jokbal. The meal was eaten fast, and with their last respective bites, Mina and Momo leaned back in their seats.

“Wow…” Momo said as she rested her hand on her stomach, “That was amazing.”

“I’m glad I looked this place up,” Mina said as she took a sip of her water. A vibration could be felt from her purse. Her phone lit up continuously as a flood of text messages bombarded her screen. Mina picked up her phone and checked her messages. All 23 of her new text messages were from a single person.

“Everything okay?” Momo asked, eyes closed. The food was already making her weary, she had no idea that Mina was checking her phone.

Mina set her phone back into her purse and said, “Yeah it’s just-” but was cut off yet again by the vibrations. She picked her phone back up and rolled her eyes, finally giving in. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she scooted out of the booth, taking her purse with her. Momo instantly perked up. Her eyes shot open and she looked at Mina as she stood up. “I’m just going to the bathroom,” Mina said laughing, stepping towards Momo. She leaned down and gave her a peck on her forehead. As Mina disappeared around the corner towards the restrooms, Momo found herself awake now, the small kiss giving her a burst of energy. She put her elbow on the table and rested her hand in her palm, smiling to herself at how happy she was. Her belly was full, and she was on a date with the most gorgeous woman she ever laid eyes on. What was there not to like about today?

And then she saw it. Through the glass of the front wall of the restaurant, lying perfectly still, those same black beaded eyes looked right back at her and she felt a fire ignite behind her own eyes. Immediately, she raised her hand and flagged down the nearest waiter. “Can I have the check please?” she asked. “Oh, and do you guys do cash back?” she added. After settling the bill, Momo was delighted to see an extra five dollar bill given back to her. She reassured the waitress that she was not leaving her table, but simply stepping out for a little bit for some fresh air while Mina was in the bathroom. When Momo stepped outside, she walked in a straight line for the cluster of machines that gathered in the courtyard. After getting $5 worth of quarters from the change machine, she placed herself in front of the crane machine. She pointed to the penguin plush that lied still on top of the plush pile and said in a threatening voice, “Prepare for defeat, penguin plushie..”

As soon as Mina made it to the bathroom, she pushed into one of the stalls. She ripped off a small piece of toilet paper and pulled the toilet seat down to completely cover the toilet bowl. She hung her purse on the hook behind the door and pulled out her buzzing phone. Placing it up to her ear, she finally said, “Okay what do you want, Nayeon?”

“How is the date going?!” Nayeon excitedly asked from the other end of the line.

“Are you serious?” Mina griped, “You blow up my phone just to ask how it’s going? You interrupted the date, I’ll have you know.”

“Oh whatever, you guys are probably done eating by now, right?” Nayeon assumed confidently.

“Well yeah but still-” said Mina.

“Then you have time to talk now! How is it going?!” Nayeon interrupted, still excited.

“Honestly?” Mina said, gathering her thoughts, “It’s going perfectly.”

“That’s amazing, Minari!” Nayeon exclaimed happily, “You haven’t gone on that many, but I’ve always known that you’re good at dates.”

“I kind of already slipped up once though,” Mina said defeated, “And I don’t want to mess up again and make things awkward. Everything I know how to be is awkward. What should I do?”

“Woah there, slow down, Mina,” said Nayeon, “What happened?”

“I brought up her fans and how they don’t want us to be together. You know, that whole Twitter storm that happened this morning?” Mina said.

“Oh that means nothing to Momo. She deals with more trolls on her Instagram and YouTube. I’ve gone through her comments on all her posts, she can handle it,” dismissed Nayeon. “What you need to worry about is just being yourself and having fun!” Nayeon added.

“I am having fun, Nayeon-unnie,” Mina said, “I’m just scared I’m not being myself. I keep making all these decisions for us, and I don’t know, I haven’t been this confident in-”

“You’ve always been that confident, Minari,” Nayeon butted in cheerfully.”

“What do you mean?” Mina asked.

“You’ve always been a confident person, Mina,” Nayeon explained, “but you only show that side to people you really trust. Momo is bringing out the best in you, and you’re so nervous because it’s been years since you’ve shown that side of yourself to someone that not us. I promise you, you’re not messing up, you just gotta go out there and keep doing what you’ve been doing.”

Mina couldn’t help but smile as she listened to Nayeon’s kind words. Her smile quickly faded, however, as she realized that once she left the bathroom, there wouldn’t be any date to come back to. “But we just finished dinner,” Mina pouted, “I don’t know how to keep the date going.”

“Do you want the date to end?” Nayeon asked.

“Not in the slightest,” Mina responded without hesitation.

“Okay so why don’t you convince Momo to take you out for some dessert? I don’t know if you guys have had your dessert yet, but don’t order any there, go somewhere else as an excuse to keep the date going,” advised Nayeon.

Mina’s eyebrows perked up, the idea becoming more and more inviting with every word. “You’re a genius, Nayeon!” Mina said.

“_...no she’s not…_” said a far-off voice in the background.

“No one asked you, Yoo Jeongyeon,” Nayeon teased, her voice becoming a little muffled as she held the phone away from her mouth.

“Okay I’ve been in the bathroom too long, Momo’s gonna wonder where I am,” Mina said, suddenly realizing just how much time she’d been away from the table. “I’ll text you later!” she said. Nayeon had said something to catch Mina’s attention, but Mina was already hanging up the call. “Sorry, unnie,” she whispered to herself as the bathroom became quiet once again. “Okay,” Mina said, standing up. She picked up her purse from off the hook and exited the stall. She took a peek at herself in the mirror and fixed her hair with slight touches before finally leaving the bathroom.

As she stepped back out into the dining room, she cleared her throat. She recomposed herself as if she didn’t just have a phone conversation in the bathroom. Her eyes landed on Momo immediately, who was smiling brightly to herself. She shyly brought her hand up to wave at her. Momo seemed to have been distracted by something, but after a moment she finally caught Mina’s gaze and waved back right as she approached the table. “Sorry I was gone so long-” Mina said as she stepped into the booth seat. Her voice cut short, however, as she saw something already sitting in her seat.

Mina suspended herself for a moment as she reached out to grab the stuffed animal that was sitting in her seat. “What’s this?” Mina said with a curious smile on her face as she sat down. She held the animal in front of her and examined it closely. It was a brown dog with smooth, brown fur. Its arms were connected with a red, satin-covered heart that had the words: “I love you” stitched in white onto it.

“I went back out there, I couldn’t help myself. Even from right here, that penguin was taunting me,” Momo said, pointing to the crane game that they could clearly see outside from their table. “It’s not the penguin plus that you wanted, but on the fifth try I accidentally ran out of time again and pulled this one out instead,” explained Momo, rubbing the side of her neck nervously. She watched Mina examine the teddy bear, and all the confidence she had up until that point seemed to diminish at an alarming rate. “You hate it,” Momo groaned in defeat, bringing her hand up to rub her forehead shamefully, “Oh I knew I shouldn’t have-”

“Babe,” said Mina. Momo instantly became attentive to the conversation. Mina wasn’t the only one who needed to get used to hearing that word. Her eyes were wide while her mouth was open, looking at Mina in silence. When she looked down at Mina’s arms, she realized that Mina had been hugging the dog plush close to her chest. “I love it. Thank you for winning him for me,” she said with a smile.

And in that moment, Momo’s heart melted at the sight before her. Mina had her head tilted slightly to the side as she smiled with just her lips. Her eyes were closed as she scrunched herself into the embrace she was already giving the plush. She was humming to herself as she wiggled with the plush in her arms. All Momo did was watch with a smile on her face. “Oh!” Mina snapped herself out of her moment, and looked down at the table, “We should probably pay for the meal huh?”

“I already paid for it,” Momo said laughing. “I needed cash back for the crane machine.” Mina gave Momo a glare, to which Momo shrunk into her shoulders and waved apologetically. “Sorry, Minari,” she said smiling.

“Well,” said Mina, “I guess I can’t be mad at that, cause you did get me this little guy.” Her face softened as she hugged the plush one more time. “At least let me take you out for dessert then,” she added happily. Momo smiled back, getting excited at the idea of sweets.

“Deal,” she said happily.

Mina and Momo stood up from the booth and exited the restaurant. Mina continued to hold the dog plush in one of her arms while her free hand on her other arm held Momo’s as they walked. They both thanked the staff as they left and stepped back outside onto the pavement. “There’s a binsu place on the other side,” said Mina, motioning her head towards a direction. It was early evening now. The dinner rush was kicking into gear, causing the area to become even more packed than it was before. Mina tensed up at the sudden realization of how crowded it was. Momo gave her hand a squeeze, pulling her attention. Mina looked to the side at Momo, who was smiling back at her already. “Lead the way,” Momo said. Mina nodded and started walking alone with the crowd, holding both the dog plush and Momo close to her.

“So do I get to see that picture you took of me?” Mina asked as they walked.

“Of course,” Momo said incredulously, “I wouldn’t post anything without your permission. Especially since it’ll be our first official post as a couple.”

“I still need to get a picture of you for my post too,” Mina said. An idea suddenly came to her, and Mina tucked the dog plush into her purse. Once she knew he was secure, she pulled out her phone and slowed her pace down. Momo felt Mina dragging behind and looked over her shoulder to see what was wrong. The moment Momo was looking at the camera, Mina captured the moment. She made sure that her own arm was in the frame, connected by their hands that interlocked with each other. “Perfect,” she said slyly, tucking her phone away and pulling the dog plush back out to cradle in her arm.

The rest of their date consisted of sneaking pictures of each other whenever they could. It turned into a game they played together, trying to see who would get the best candid photos. Even as they ate their bingu, which Mina insisted on paying for, they continued to share laughs and photos. It was the perfect end to the perfect date. And yet, neither of them wanted it to end. After eating dessert, they made their way back to Momo’s car. When they settled into their seats, a tense silence fell between them.

“Would you like to come to my house?” asked Momo.  
“Let me direct you back to my house,” said Mina.

The two looked at each other with shocked looks.

“I’d love to go to your house,” said Mina.  
“Yeah, which way to your house?” asked Momo.

The two looked at each other once again with shocked expressions. They both started laughing, remembering the familiarity of it all.

“Is this gonna be a regular thing?” Mina asked rhetorically.

“Like I said, babe, you gotta get used to it,” Momo said proudly as she started the engine. She navigated the dense city streets like an expert, driving in the exact opposite way of Mina’s house. They lived on opposite sides of the city, but that didn’t stop Momo from taking the drive to Mina’s house if needed. She would much rather spend time with her new girlfriend, even if it meant being in sluggish traffic. It was a Sunday evening, and the streets didn’t feel as packed as normal. They managed to make it back to Momo’s house in just 20 minutes.

Momo pulled the car against the sidewalk. “That’s a lot of cars,” Mina noted as she stepped out of the car.

“Yeah, everyone has their own car, so whoever makes it home first gets the driveway spots. It looks like everyone is home right now,” Momo replied, stepping out of the car. After locking the car, Momo jogged around the front of the car to join Mina before walking up the driveway. She fiddled with her keys as she selected the right one before unlocking the front door. “Sorry if it’s a little messy,” she bashfully apologized to Mina before pushing the door open. The door to the home was heavy and in need of some oil in the hinges. As Momo pushed the door open, it creaked loudly, echoing through the halls of the home.

“Momoring!” Sana called from her bedroom upstairs. A series of thuds could be heard as Sana rushed out of her room. She appeared on the second floor landing, bracing herself against the railing. “Did you bring back any foo- MINA IS HERE!!!” Sana shrieked.

“Mina is here?!” said Dahyun from the living room.  
“Wait what?!” both Chaeyoung and Tzuyu said from their spots on the couch.

Sana erupted into a fit of giggles and laughs as she quickly hurried down the stairs. Momo looked back at Mina and gave her another apologetic smile. “Sorry,” she mouthed. Mina laughed and shook her head. Mina was grateful to have met Momo’s friends at Nayeon’s party the night before. Otherwise, it would’ve been much more awkward.

When Sana came down, she charged straight for Mina. Her bubbly personality was contagious and Mina fell into her own fit of giggles as she was tackled with a hug. “We missed you!” Sana said excitedly. Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu all appeared from around the corner. They were just as happy to see Mina, especially Dahyun and Tzuyu, who admittedly still had a celebrity crush on her.

“I just saw you guys last night,” Mina laughed.

“Speaking of which,” Dahyun spoke up, “Thanks for taking care of our Momoring last night.”

“We got worried when she didn’t come home,” Tzuyu said.

“My girlfriend might not look like it, but she’s actually a huge softie. She was worried the most,” added Chaeyoung.

“I’m gonna murder you,” Tzuyu retorted quickly.

“I wouldn’t want to die any other way,” Chaeyoung smirked.

Momo moved to take Mina’s hand, but was blocked by Sana, who didn’t want to let go of Mina. “How about a tour?” Momo stumbled through her words, attempting to regain some control of the situation.

“That sounds great!” Sana said, already deciding for Mina. “Come in come in come in!” she said in a sing-song voice as she led the way. Momo and Mina exchanged glances briefly. They smiled at each other and quietly held one another’s hands, following the group. The house tour was brief, mostly due to Sana’s energy bouncing off the walls. Dahyun towed behind her girlfriend, supporting her calmly while she clearly looked at her with love. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were quiet, adding in little comments here and there while Sana ran the show. The home was similar to Mina’s, in that it was big enough to accommodate so many people. The only difference was that they had three bedrooms instead of four. Despite having one more person living in the home than Mina’s home, they all seemed to be happy with their current living situations. Dahyun explained that they bought the home shortly after they all graduated college, much like Mina and her friends. Both couples of the house were already established before buying the home, leaving just Momo with her own room. The house was slightly smaller than Mina’s, but it felt much more cozy. The furniture had less of a modern feel than her own home, and the artistic pieces that covered the walls thanks to Chaeyoung gave the home a certain charm. What impressed Mina the most, however, was the working living room. There was one living room that held their TV and various couches and seating, but the other living room housed all of their necessary work stations. Pushed against a corner was Chaeyoung’s art setup, equipped with various mediums and a stack of blank canvases waiting to be used. In another corner was a digital keyboard, Dahyun’s domain. What took up the most room was a massive desk, which held a complete computer setup. The three monitors looked like a battlestation to Mina, like out of a video game. The moment she saw the setup, she felt a pang of jealousy as well as a sudden need to pull out her phone to play a game. The tour ended on the second floor, as both couples showed Mina their rooms that they shared. Each room was spacious enough to accommodate two people, making Momo’s room even more spacious for just one person.

“And that’s pretty much it!” Sana said cheerfully, turning to face Mina with a smile.

“It’s really cozy. I feel comfortable from just the furniture alone,” Mina admitted.

Sana beamed, her hands on her cheeks as she smiled even wider. “Ahh! That makes me so happy!” she bubbled. “You want us to get you anything? Water? Snacks?” she added.

Mina waved her hand dismissively and politely responded, “No thank you, we just ate. I need to rest my stomach before I explode.”

It was then that Sana realized they were all standing in front of Momo’s room. The others seemed to just be going along with whatever she was doing, so she took charge once again. “Well!” she said, clapping her hands together, “We’ll be downstairs if you guys need anything!” The other three seemed to be in a daze, but Sana’s clap pulled them back into reality. They all caught the hint and followed Sana downstairs, leaving Mina and Momo alone once again.

Sana wasted no time to pull out her phone from her pocket. Her thumbs danced against the screen as she furiously typed a message.

[6:12PM] Sana: THE GAYS ARE HERE

All three of Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu’s phones buzzed with a new notification.

[6:13PM] Nayeon: WAIT, MOMO TOOK MINA HOME?! :scream:  
[6:13PM] Dahyun: They showed up not too long ago. We gave Mina a tour and now they’re in Momo’s room :smirk:  
[6:13PM] Sana: You mean SANA gave them the tour :triumph:  
[6:14PM] Tzuyu: Nayeon-unnie, you didn’t bother Mina-unnie while she was busy on their date did you?  
[6:14PM] Jeongyeon: I tried to get her to stop, but Im Nayeon is like a cockroach, you can’t get rid of her :vomit:  
[6:14PM] Chaeyoung: LMAOO :joy:  
[6:15PM] Nayeon: Fuck off.  
[6:15PM] Nayeon: So what are they doing now? :eyes:  
[6:15PM] Tzuyu: For once in your life, can you not be so nosy?  
[6:16PM] Dahyun: What do I get if I tell you? :eyes:  
[6:16PM] Nayeon: You can get ONE compliment  
[6:16PM] Dahyun: :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:  
[6:17PM] Sana: Mina is so nice, I’m so happy we’re friends now. Thank you Momo :pray:  
[6:17PM] Chaeyoung: Speaking of. When are we gonna add them to the group chat?  
[6:17PM] Jeongyeon: We should probably do that soon  
[6:17PM] Sana: AHH I JUST WANT TO HANG OUT WITH MINA. IT’S UNFAIR. MOMORING NEEDS TO SHARE  
[6:18PM] Jihyo: I’ll take you all out to dinner right now if you guys shut up and leave them alone  
[6:18PM] Sana: DONE  
[6:18PM] Jeongyeon: Down  
[6:18PM] Chaeyoung: Thank god, I’m starving  
[6:18PM] Tzuyu: Thank you, Jihyo-unnie! :heart:  
[6:18PM] Dahyun: Thanks, mom :sweat:  
[6:18PM] Nayeon: Okay but I get to order as much as I want :wink:  
[6:19PM] Jihyo: Hurry up before I eat without you guys! [address]  
[6:19PM] Nayeon: WAIT YOU’RE ALREADY THERE?!  
[6:20PM] Jihyo: I’m out with Daniel. Now hurry up before my wallet changes its mind

Momo took Mina’s hand into hers and pulled her into her room. She reached behind her to close the door and stood next to Mina. “Welcome to my room!” Momo said light heartedly with her arms stretched to her side.

Mina looked over the room with care. The first thing she noticed was that Momo’s closet had sliding mirror doors, and the center of her room was mostly empty. “I see you practice at home too,” she said smiling.

Momo looked from Mina, to the mirrors, to the empty floor. “Yeah,” she said timidly. “I see you haven’t let go of that plush since I got it for you,” Momo pointed out.

Mina looked down into her arms. How long had she been hugging this plush? “He’s so cute, I can’t seem to let go,” she giggled.

“Have you decided on a name yet?” Momo asked, coming up from behind Mina. She wrapped her arms around Mina’s waist and pulled her close. Mina relaxed into the embrace and leaned her head to the side, resting against Momo’s. They were facing the mirrors, staring at their own faces in the reflection.

“Ray,” Mina said with certainty.

“Aw, that’s a cute name,” Momo cheered. They remained embraced for a silent moment. Mina held onto Ray in her arms while Momo held onto her with hers. Mina looked down at Momo’s arms, then back up to their reflections.

“Thank you for today,” Mina said sweetly, looking at Momo through the mirror. Momo bit her lip. They were alone, and Mina was so close.

“Thank you for not letting go last night,” she said in a serious tone, turning her head to look at Mina directly. Mina could feel the intensity of Momo’s gaze. She didn’t need to turn to look at Momo to feel the tension rising between them.

“I was tired of being afraid,” Mina admitted, still looking at Momo through the mirror, “Tired of thinking about the what ifs, instead of just testing them.

Momo eased her hold on Mina slightly, prompting Mina to turn in her arms to finally face her. Momo reached up and placed her hand delicately on Mina’s cheeks. She gave her a small smile as she pressed forward, leaning her forehead against Mina’s. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore, Mina,” she whispered. Mina closed her eyes. If she looked into Momo’s eyes any longer, she knew she would lose it.

“I’m always afraid,” Mina whispered back, “Terrified.”

Momo felt her chest tighten. It pained her to see Mina so anxious. She wanted to take on her anxieties, even for just a moment, to relieve Mina of the pain she feels constantly. Momo brought her other hand up to Mina’s other cheek. “If you’re scared, I’ll be here to hold you,” she whispered to her. They were so close now, Momo’s lips brushed against Mina’s as she spoke. Mina could feel herself giving in, but she quickly caught herself and pulled away.

“We shouldn’t,” she said, shaking her head. She clutched Ray closer to her chest and said with a melancholic smile, “Everyone is home.”

Momo was about to say something, but a constant buzzing in her pocket stopped her. She chuckled and apologized silently to Mina for her phone ruining the moment. She pulled her phone out and brought it up to her ear. “You know I’m just upstairs right?” she said into the phone.

“I know, but I didn’t want to interrupt anything,” Dahyun said as she slipped her shoes on at the front door.

_Too late_, Momo thought to herself.

“Jihyo-unnie is taking us out to dinner, did you guys wanna come?” Dahyun asked.

Momo looked up at Mina. “Apparently Jihyo is taking everyone out to dinner. Did you want to go?” she asked her.

Mina shook her head and sat down on the edge of Momo’s bed. “I’m so full from lunch and dessert, I really can’t eat anymore,” she said.

“We’re just gonna stay home. Say hi to Jihyo, Nayeon, and Jeongyeon for me though,” Momo said, smiling as she sat next to Mina.

“Okay, I’ll text you when we come back home. You want anything?” Dahyun asked as she closed the front door behind her. Momo could hear the delay in sound as she heard the door directly from the phone as well as a muffled version from behind her room’s closed door. She turned to look at Mina and was surprised to see her laying down on her bed. She had Ray in her hands, holding him up as she looked at him with the ceiling in the background.

“Nah, I’m still full from lunch. You guys have fun. Bye,” said Momo before hanging up the phone. She set her phone on her bedside table and looked at Mina with a grin. “Someone made herself comfortable,” she said playfully. Mina turned to lay on her side, resting on her elbow. She set Ray down on the bedside table next to Momo’s phone before looking back up at her. Momo knew that look. 

“I’d be more comfortable if my girlfriend would come cuddle with me,” she said with a playful pout.

Momo turned, leaning over Mina. “Just cuddle?” she asked, laying on top of her. Mina gasped at the sudden warmth. Mina’s arms wrapped around the small of Momo’s back as she looked up. Her jet black hair fell in cascades and tickled her cheeks. The smell of her fresh shampoo permeated her nose. Mina licked her lips before biting her lower one.

“Come here already,” Mina growled. She shot her hands up to grab Momo’s face and pulled the woman down. Their lips crashed into a heated passion, descending into their lustful desires. Momo gladly followed Mina’s lead, allowing herself to be pulled into the kiss. She adjusted herself on the sides of Mina’s head so she didn’t put her entire weight on her. That didn’t last long, however, as Mina pushed Momo’s shoulder. Momo rolled to the side from the push and found herself under Mina’s straddling legs. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Mina, who was already taking off her shirt. There was no going back now. Momo bit her lip and grabbed Mina’s hips, grinding her own up into hers. Mina gasped at the sudden friction, but welcomed it by grinding against Momo herself.

Momo shook her head as she looked up at Mina. A cocky grin was on her face as she said, “You know, I never would’ve guessed you could be a top.” Mina leaned down and kissed Momo aggressively. Just as Momo was about to return the kiss, Mina pulled away and gave Momo a cocky grin of her own.

“_Get used to it_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot more I want to pack into this story, so from now on, updates will probably be around this length. That being said, the updates will take a little longer to pump out as well. Future updates will have SFW as well as NSFW scenes combined into a single update, so look forward to that! ^^
> 
> Thank you for supporting me and my work <3
> 
> (please please please leave feedback! It's my favorite thing to read TT)

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like, you can:  
\- Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ayediyas) for updates or if you have any questions/comments  
\- Use the hashtag #BreakthroughTwiceAU on Twitter!  
\- Send a message on [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.me/ayediyas)


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